I'll Be Good
by Sociopathic Scorpio
Summary: Bonnie and Kai have more time to get to know each other in 1994. How will their relationship spill over into the present day? Season six with a twist. The title is homage to Jaymes Young's beautiful song of the same name. A ship video on YouTube illustrated their relationship using this song. I highly recommend watching it! The creator of the video goes by the username: charizzaard
1. Personal Hell

Bonnie woke up with her head throbbing. The last thing she remembered was Damon. Damon and a flash of bright light. Damon and how he wasn't there with her anymore. Her doing as she sent him away from this slice of Hell. The sun was beaming down on her, forcing her to open her eyes. She squinted as she took in her surroundings. Her thoughts were racing as she slowly sat up. There was a fireplace to her right. She was on a couch. The scarlet and gold of the cushions and pillows let her know that it was the Salvatore couch. But she knew better. She knew she wasn't on the _real_ Salvatore couch. No, she sat on an illusion and a constant reminder of why she needed to get away from this place as soon as possible.

Sitting upright, with her hands clutching the cushion beneath her, she scanned the room. She saw no one. She felt an aching on the side of her stomach. She looked down and saw her lacy white top was blood stained. She lifted her shirt slightly to see that it had been bandaged. _Gee, who could have done that?_ She thought irritably. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temple with her left hand. Her throat was agonizingly dry. She heard footsteps rapidly approaching before reopening her eyes.

"Well look who finally decided to wake up", the perpetrator said too cheerfully. Malachai Parker, her captor, evil magic sucker and the guy who, not too long ago, shot her with an arrow, was making his way towards her.

She looked up and saw that he conveniently had a glass of water in his hand. He stopped dead in front of her and held it out to her, cocking his head to the side as if to ask did she want any.

She rolled her eyes before asking "Is there rohypnol in it?" She heard him chuckle before saying "No, not this one. But good idea, Bonnie, I'll have to use that sometime."

She stood up and pushed past him "I'll just get my own." She stormed toward the kitchen, which was a good distance away in the enormous Salvatore mansion. She grabbed a glass and filled it with tap water, something she knew he couldn't possibly have tampered with. The water soothed her aching throat immediately. She took another gulp and let her mind wander. How long had she been out? Was she just sleeping or had he slipped her something? She let out a breath of relief, only to be irritated once more by Kai's presence as he sauntered into the kitchen shortly after. She kept her back to him.

"You really did wake up in just the nick of time. I was starting to get worried" She could hear the sarcasm in his voice. She rolled her eyes and slowly turned around, leaning her back against the sink. "And why is that?"

He was leaning against the countertop of the island, hands clasped together, eyeing her with that unsettling grin of his. "Well I wouldn't want you to miss the road trip."

Bonnie scoffed "I'm not going anywhere with you." She turned around to refill her glass.

He nodded before saying "I figured you'd say that." He slowly rose from his seat and began walking towards her around the island. She took a step back, analyzing his movement, glass of water still in hand. "I meant it when I said I didn't want to hurt you Bonnie," he stepped within arm's length of her "But you should know that I will if I have to." He grabbed her forearm and held on tight. Bonnie yelled out in pain, her body crouching forward as he drained her magic. His hand was glowing crimson where he touched her. Bonnie tasted copper in her mouth and an electric charge was extending from her arm, spreading throughout the rest of her body.

"Now, you're going to be a good little girl and do as you're told, right?" He said through gritted teeth.

She mustered the little strength she had left to throw the water on his arm that was gripping hers.

" _Incendia!_ "

She saw the flames appear and heard him yell. He released her arm long enough for her to make a run for the exit. She limped through the archway in the kitchen and regained some of her strength when the front door was in her line of sight. To her luck, it was cracked open slightly. She began to sprint towards it when it slammed shut with such a force that it shook the rest of the house. She turned on her heel to see Kai lazily perusing her.

"You know Bon, you're really making this more difficult than it needs to be." His right sleeve was scorched and Bonnie smiled to herself at her handy work. She eyed him with contempt, not responding.

He paused, spreading out his arms. "I just thought you might want to know about another ticket out of this hell hole." He began removing his jacket with the burnt sleeve.

"There is no other ticket!" she said agitatedly.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because the ascendant is broken and I'm not letting you use my magic."

He smiled and made his way towards her. "I might know of another source of magic on this barren planet we call home."

"And where would that be?"

He walked past her and opened the front door. "Come with me and you'll find out."

He pulled out a packed bag from behind the dresser and slung it over his shoulder. "Of course, you could always just stay here." He turned and walked out the door.

Bonnie teetered on her feet as she stood there contemplating. She sighed and headed for the door.


	2. Road Trip

Bonnie huffed as she placed her packed bag in the backseat of his car. She had changed into one of Damon's plaid shirts. Kai gave her roughly ten minutes to pack whatever she wanted to take, which wasn't much. She didn't want to have a constant reminder of this place. All with the exception of her teddy bear, Ms. Cuddles and a few clothes that she hoped to bring back in style in the present. He was already positioned in the driver's seat with a pair of shamelessly 90s sunglasses. He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel.

"Can you at least tell me where we're going?" Bonnie asked as she got in the passenger's side. He started up the car and drove off.

"Oh, that'll take the fun out of it!"

"Kai!"

"Fine! We are headed to the home of Courtney Love, Tonya Harding and yours truly," he paused for dramatic effect. "Portland, Oregon."

" _Portland_?" She said scrunching up her face. "We can go anywhere in the world and you want to go to _Portland_?"

"Home is where the heart is."

Bonnie scoffed. "You don't have a heart."

"I know." He said smiling.

"Why would another source of magic be there?"

"You'll see."

"Can I get one straight answer out of you, just once?"

"No. How's that?" He asked smirking at her, which earned him an eye roll.

A few miles into the trip he reached below his seat and pulled out a bag of something. He opened it and the pungent smell hit her immediately. He crunched loudly and extended the bag towards her, not taking his eyes off the road. "Pork rind?"

She turned her nose up. "No thanks."

He brought the bag back to his chest. "Eh, your loss." And popped another one in his mouth.

By now it was just them and the open road. A few hours had past. Kai tried several times to spark a conversation to no avail. When that didn't work, she heard him singing along to whatever was playing on the radio. Or talking to himself, she wasn't sure. She was in and out of sleep the majority of the time. The solar eclipse took place overhead for the umpteenth time. _Well at least we know what time it is,_ Bonnie thought bitterly. She was focused on the scenery that blurred past them outside of the window. They remained quiet for a while as Kai shuffled through CDs. "Any requests?" He asked.

Bonnie had her cheek resting on her hand, which was propped up by the door. She reached out for the case of CDs on the dashboard.

"I have Nirvana, Pearl Jam or Creed. Any of those ring a bell?" He asked waving the CDs around.

Bonnie continued to look through the booklet, ignoring him.

"Oookay." He said after a moment. "Pearl Jam it is."

Despite her annoyance, Bonnie found herself tapping her foot and bobbing her head along to one of the songs.

Of course, Kai took note of it. "Wasn't so bad of a choice after all, huh?"

"Not the 90s greatest hits but they'll do."

"Pft, says who?"

"Says me."

He snickered, keeping one hand on the steering wheel "And what would you prefer to listen to? Britney Spears?"

"I actually do enjoy some of her old stuff. And she's still somewhat relevant in the present."

"That's unfortunate."

"What's wrong with liking Britney Spears?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, if you don't like talent."

"As opposed to what? _This_?" She motioned towards the CD player.

"That's grunge, baby. Nothing better to listen to at this point in time."

"I beg to differ. Ever heard of Three Days Grace?"

"Who?"

"Oh sorry. That was a little bit _after_ your time."

"Ha-ha." He said dryly. He paused for a minute. "Know of any bands I might like when we get back home?"

"Wouldn't know. Ya know, since we're not going back home."

"We'll see."

Bonnie thought for a minute. "How are we going to get to Portland anyway? You can't possibly expect to drive the entire way? It's at least forty hours away."

"It's funny that you ask that."

They drove past a sign that read "Welcome to Kansas." A few miles later, she read a sign that said "Kansas Airport."

"What's this?"

He pulled off his shades. "This place is called an airport." Sarcasm dripping off his tongue.

"I meant what are we doing here?"

"We gotta get to Portland somehow."

"By flying?! And who's the pilot?"

"You're looking at him." He said with a cocky grin.

Bonnie started at him like he was an alien species.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun."

He circled the roundabout and brought the car to a stop at the entrance of the building with a white, dome like roof. He reached in the back seat for his bag. Besides, I've flown hundreds of times during my solitary confinement. You'll love it."

As he got out of the car, she knew her only options were to comply or have her magic painfully siphoned again. And that was not an experience she wanted to relive. She let out a frustrated sigh, got out, grabbed her bag and followed him inside the station.

The unsettling emptiness she felt being trapped in the abandoned prison world was not a feeling she could easily shake. There was nothing but the sound of their footsteps echoing throughout the glass coated building.

"Don't you ever get sick of it?" She thought out loud.

"Of your company? Nah, you're not so bad."

"No, I mean, the quietness of being the only person left on earth. It's eerie."

"Well, considering that I attempted to kill myself several times, yes, I would say I've gotten sick of it quite a few times." He paused for a minute.

Bonnie was taken back at his dark remark. She wasn't expecting him to say that. "Besides," He continued in his usual light tone. "You're not totally alone." He said winking at her.

"Yeah, I have a sociopathic murderer to keep me company."

"Ouch."

They strolled onward. Kai began to whistle.

"Can you stop that?" She finally blurted out. He was a few steps ahead of her.

"Oh I'm sorry, is it bothering you?" He asked without losing his pace.

"Very much."

He continued to whistle.

Bonnie sucked her teeth.

She spotted the restrooms. She needed a reason to get by herself. That and she genuinely had to use it. "I don't need a babysitter." She said as she heard him following her. "I'm fully potty-trained."

"Oh are you? You continue to impress me."

He held the Ladies Room door open for her and she rolled her eyes and went inside.

"Don't take too long." He said eyeing her from head to toe. "We've got a plane to catch." He let the door slide shut.

She dropped her bag to the floor and proceeded to use the bathroom. She came out and stared at her reflection in the mirror, washing her hands in the sink below it. Bonnie's mind was frantic. There was no way in hell she was going to get on a plane with this nut job. _And_ let him pilot it! She had to think of something. She still had a fraction of her magic. But how was she going to be able to use it without him knowing? She would bet money that he was standing right outside the door, just to make sure she didn't try anything.

If she had placed a bet, she would've won. Kai was leaning against the wall next to the door when she emerged. He was eating some chips. She assumed he got those from one of the broken into vending machines not too far down the hall from them. Glass was shattered on the floor in front of it with various rows of food missing. He slowly licked the salt off his finger at the sight of her and smiled.

"Ready?"

She threw the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "No." She said flatly.

"Portland, Oregon, here we come!"

They made their way outside towards the lineup of planes. Either Bonnie hadn't noticed how hot it was or she was just more nervous at the sight of the planes but she began sweating profusely. It might have been a combination of both.

Kai casually walked over and stood between two of the planes. One was a regular plane, commonly taken for large amounts of travelers. It was white with the word "Express" written on the side in blue. The other plane was smaller and only seated two people. It was a hideously bright orange. He turned to face her. "Personal or impersonal? My personal favorite," He gestured to the larger plane. "Is the standard aircraft. I like to play with the controls in the cockpit. It's just so cool to hear your own voice over the intercom. However, for a speedy trip, the best option would be this one." He pointed to the two-seater.

Although she wanted to avoid being in his vicinity for as long as possible, Bonnie thought it would be best to keep a close eye on him. She would, hopefully, be able to rely on her magic should things go wrong at God only knows how many feet in the sky.


	3. City of Roses

"You are now flying sky high with Captain Kai!" He said theatrically.

His voice was muffled through the headset Bonnie wore. They had been flying for quite some time now. Being in the air made her lose track of time. She was too concentrated on what he was doing with the controls. That and not dying. She had only flown a few times in her youth. But when she did, she wasn't in the cockpit piloted by a lunatic. To her disbelief, Kai actually wasn't that bad of a pilot. Why would he be? He had all the time in the world to practice and excel at it. He'd had enough time to practice anything he wanted to. Although in her mind she had adjusted to the idea of him flying, she still clutched on tightly to the handles above her. Also to her surprise, the engine wasn't as loud as she thought it'd be. _Well duh, you're wearing a headset,_ she thought irritably to herself.

The feeling of being weightless wasn't as liberating either. Kai on the other hand appeared to be totally at ease. Bonnie glanced over at him. He was sitting upright in his seat but his shoulders were slacker than hers. She wore a calm expression on his face. He caught her staring at him. "Having fun?"

The plane jolted before she could respond. "Not, exactly." She said through clinched teeth. Kai chuckled. "How can you not be? Just look at that view."

Bonnie really wanted to have the courage to open her eyes fully instead of squinting the way she had been for the majority of the flight. She knew that the sky would be a beautiful sight to see from this vantage point. She opened her eyes slowly, gasping at the view before her. They were surrounded by sun-kissed clouds. The puffs would be in arm's reach had they rolled down the windows. A little smile crept on her face.

"I can show you something better." Kai suggested. Bonnie felt her back press firmly against the back of her seat. Kai was pulling the lever backwards, sending them upward. She was gripping the handles so hard that her knuckles were beginning to turn white. Her eyes and mouth were bolted shut.

"Ok. Now look." Kai said softly. Bonnie reopened her eyes. The view was breathtaking. They were above the clouds now. They rested below the plane in ripples that looked like waves in the ocean. The sun was setting and the sky gleamed of yellow, orange, red and purple. Her green eyes shimmered in the sunlight. He grinned at the sight of her awe-struck face. "Told you it was beautiful."

Kai piloted the plane a bit slower this time around. For just a moment, Bonnie forgot where she was, who she was with and about her fear of flying. The serene atmosphere had a calming effect on her. Her death grip on the handles even began to loosen. Leave it to Kai to cut that feeling short.

"I take it you haven't flown much." He asked after a long pause.

"Gee, how could you tell?"

"Someone's in a nasty mood. And after all the fun we've had today."

"You call taking someone against their will fun?"

"You and I have different ideas of fun."

"Clearly."

"How's this for fun?"

Before Bonnie could muster a response, she was thrown backwards from the force of the plane plunging downward. The control panel began to tremor violently.

"Kai!"

He simply laughed as the plane nosedived towards the ground. The clouds rushed by the windows, obscuring anything to be seen. The details of a small city were quickly coming into view. Bonnie screamed the entire way down.

They landed safely, albeit roughly, in the middle of a rose field that was surrounded by a forest. Bonnie's bob was disheveled and her head and jaw ached from screaming so much. Feeling relieved to have made it back to the ground in one piece, she hastily unfastened herself from the plane and slid out into the field of roses. The fragrance was a stark contrast to how she felt internally. She took a whiff and let out a satisfied sigh. It truly was a beautiful sight. There were pink, red, white and yellow roses scattered about in every direction.

She was grabbing her bag from behind her seat when she noticed that Kai had his bag over his shoulder and made his way around the plane to stand next to her. He had a pink rose in his free hand and extended it towards her with a mischievous grin stretched on his face. Bonnie eyed it but didn't take it.

"What's that for?"

"A gesture for a truce. I really didn't mean to scare you earlier." Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You could have fooled me." Besides," He continued. "We are in the City of Roses." He said gesturing to the field surrounding them. He brought the rose up to his nose, giving her his best puppy face.

"I actually prefer yellow roses." She said smugly. She slammed her door and stormed off.

It was practically nightfall when they reached their destination. They had walked for about twenty minutes before arriving at a house. It was white, with a grey roof and two brick chimneys. There were three stories, the third she assumed to be the attic. The porch extended around the front of the house, accompanied by a white fence. There were two large windows on either side of the door with green shutters. Four rocking chairs were spread evenly across the porch. Kai's childhood home.

"Ah, memories." He said sauntering past her towards the porch.

He leaped up the few steps to the porch and went inside, holding the door open for her. Bonnie stepped inside and examined the house. To her left, there was an archway that led down a hallway. Next to that was a wooden staircase with pictures hanging diagonally, ascending up the wall. There was a white door down the hall directly in her line of sight, which may have been the bathroom or a closet. To her right was the living room. The large sofa that sat with its back to the wall was blue, while the two smaller chairs on either side were brown. They were facing a wooden cabinet which held the TV, and multiple family pictures. It was all stationed on top of wooden floors.

It would have been a quaint setting, if it weren't for the dried up blood stains. Red was splattered and smeared on various surfaces in the house. Such as the side of the stairs, the floor, the dresser and on the door at the end of the hall. Bonnie felt a sinking in the pit of her stomach. Her nerves were on high alert. She wanted to ask for the bathroom but was afraid that she would run into the same sight there too.

"So where exactly is this new source of magic?" Bonnie asked after a moment.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But first, how about a little tour?"

He led them to the backdoor of the house through the kitchen and outside towards a white patio. There was a, round white table set for ten. The rest of the yard was covered in grass except for a pool embedded in cobblestone. He pointed towards it. "Now here, is where I drowned my second to youngest brother. But get this," he turned around to face her. "I saved him for last and he fought me the hardest! I tell ya, some people can be so ungrateful." He shook his head and headed back towards the house.

He stood in the hallway turning on his heel to face her. "My dad was really into hunting. And so were the twins that were aged right under my twin and myself. So I thought, what better way to teach them a lesson about irony, than to shoot them with the rifle they trained with?" He grinned at her look of terror. He sauntered up to the middle of the staircase, leaning on the railing talking down to her as she looked up at him with disgust. "This is where I hung the youngest pair of twins. I took the jump ropes out of their rooms and asked them if they wanted to play a game. Of course, being the gullible kids they were, they fell for it. I loved seeing their feet flail around as they finally caught on to what was happening. It's just something about strangulation that gets me- mmm."

He headed further upstairs and Bonnie's feet propelled her forward in a zombie-like state. They reached the top of the stairs and stood in a long hallway. There were four doors spaced evenly along the walls facing the stairwell. There was a door on both ends of the hallway. One of the doors were opened and Bonnie could see that those were the bathrooms. Facing a few feet in front of them was a shorter hallway with one door at the end. A few feet above the door was the drawstring to the door that led to the attic.

Kai entered one of the rooms to the far right. He flicked on the light switch. To Bonnie's surprise, there was no blood to be seen. Two sets of bunk beds took up the majority of the room. One railing was white with a pink comforter. While the other bed had a brown wooden railing with blue sheets. Various toys were scattered about the room. There were fingerprints and random drawings on the wall in different colors of paint.

"The younger set of twins had to share a room. The older sets got a room to themselves." Kai informed her.

"At least you had the decency not to massacre them in their bedrooms."

"They weren't in their rooms when I was looking for them."

Bonnie's stomach lurched and her heart thudded with rage. How could he be so blasé about what he did to his family?

The room next to it contained two twin sized beds that were in opposite corners of the room. There were mostly neutral colors. The bed covers were a dark green, almost black tone. The walls were dark beige and bare. A dresser stood on the far wall with a small TV on top. A grey papasan cushion chair sat at the foot of the bed on the right. A door was at the bottom of the bed on the left, which Bonnie assumed to be a closet.

"Here is where I put my dad's hunting knife in my second to youngest sister's abdomen. Not my initial plan, I wanted to stick it in her heart but when your family decides to cheat and use magic to subdue you because," he put up air quotations "'You're acting like a crazy person,' you don't really have time to accomplish your set goal. It was a rash, last minute thing. Not my best work." He turned the light off and proceeded down the shorter hallway to the room at the end.

He held the door open with one arm. "And this, is where the great leader of the Gemini Coven resided." He said with a hint of bitterness. The ceiling was white and angled upward, connecting to the triangular roof. The bed was in front of an arched window, which was facing them directly. The headboard was black and the sheets were black and white. The pillows looked full and inviting. There was a small dresser at the foot of the bed. To the right was another bathroom and the door next to that was a closet. To the left was a large wooden bookshelf. Some of the books looked like regular reading books. Others Bonnie recognized due to their rough, worn, leathery exterior: spell books. There were too many to count. Kai followed her gaze.

"Yeah, my parents were such control freaks that they even kept an eye on all the spell books in the house. We had to get permission to use them. Well, all my other siblings had to get permission. Once they found out about my deficiency, I wasn't allowed to use any of them." Bonnie looked up at him and saw that he possessed a wistful expression.

"Of course that didn't stop me from stealing them from time to time."

And just like that, the wistfulness was gone and replaced by mischief.

The next room was covered in a polka dot bed spread with heart shaped pillows. The bed was up against the wall to the left of them, protruding outward into the room. There was a vast selection of make-up on the dresser with a mirror on the far wall. Pictures of friends and family members were hung up in no particular order. There was also a half mannequin in the corner of the room with jewelry hanging from its neck. It was obviously a young woman's room.

"This was my sister Josette's room. Your typical 90s teenage girl."

Everything was fine until she spotted another dried up blood stain on the floor in front of the dresser.

"The one whose spleen you took out." Bonnie commented.

"You remembered." He said with mock sincerity. "I would've gotten the youngest pair, Luke and Olivia too. That is until my meddling twin sister intervened."

They moved on to the last room.

"And last but not least, Voila! My dwelling quarters!"

Bonnie wasn't too shocked at what she saw. The headboard of the bed was up against the wall facing across from them. The wall above his bed was covered in, none other than grunge band posters. Barely leaving any room to see that there was a white wall behind them. His sheets were grey and black with a checkerboard pattern. A closet was on the right and a window was on the left. Under the window was a desk table and chair. Next to her on her immediate right was a dresser. On the roof, in the middle of the room was a dark blue ceiling fan.

She was more surprised to find that his room was clean above all else. Spotless even. His bed was made, his sheets were folded evenly, the hardwood floor was shiny and there wasn't a speck of dirt on any surface. Her own room in the real world wasn't even that clean.

"Expecting something else?" He asked having caught her expression.

"Honestly, I didn't expect you to be so...tidy."

He leaned against the door frame. "Would you believe that i don't like to make a mess?"

She raised her eyebrow.

"I know, ironic."

He gestured for her to head back downstairs as he turned off the light and shut his door. Bonnie took note of the fact that he made sure to lock it before falling in line behind her on the steps. They hadn't explored the archway next to the stairwell. Bonnie got to the bottom of the steps and pointed to it.

"Laundry room." He stated automatically.

"But now, we," he led her by the shoulders. "Are headed towards the kitchen.

"Why?"

"I'm making dinner."

He released her shoulders and walked past the island towards the fridge, examining its contents. "Not the smorgasbord at the Salvatore mansion but it'll do for tonight." He began pulling out random items.

Although, initially Bonnie had been starving after the flight, she had lost her appetite after that little tour from hell.

"I'm actually gonna skip dinner." She placed her bag on the island and sat on one of the stools. "When are we heading out?"

"In the morning, before the eclipse." He said without looking up. He was cutting a strand of celery.

"You're joking right? We're not _actually_ staying here tonight are we?"

"Why not? You'll get your beauty sleep and I'll have time to put the ascendant back together before morning. It's a win-win."

"And where am I supposed to sleep?"

"You could wait upstairs in my parent's room for me." He winked.

"Fat chance."

"So sleep on the couch."

"I don't want to sleep here period."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, Kai, maybe I'm not comfortable sleeping in the house where you brutally slaughtered your family!"

Kai clenched his jaw and stopped cutting. He eyed her intently. "It's just one night. Our last night here and you'll never have to see this place again." He started cutting again. "Besides, it's late, where else are we supposed to go? There aren't any other houses for miles. My parents were so paranoid someone might find out about our abilities, they wanted to make sure we were isolated. We won't have time to find somewhere else to sleep, fix the ascendant, come back here in the morning, locate the other source of magic _and_ catch the eclipse before noon."

She hated to admit it, but he was right. She didn't feel like fighting about it. At this point she was exhausted. Bonnie sighed and grabbed her bag, slung it over her shoulder and made her way out of the kitchen. "Sleep tight!" She heard him call. She groaned in response.

She got to the center of the hallway and stood there for a moment contemplating her options. She could either keep a close eye on Kai and they both sleep in the living room. Or she could sleep safely in his parents' room, with the door locked. She was strongly leaning towards the latter. That was one of the few rooms where a murder hadn't taken place in. She trudged upstairs and kept straight down the shorter hallway.

She immediately locked the door. She then proceeded to kick off her shoes and strip down into her undergarments. She placed the bag on the foot of the bed and searched through it frantically before realizing that she hadn't packed any clothes to sleep in. And there was no way in hell she'd ask Kai for something to wear. She left Damon's over-sized shirt on as a nightgown. _Boy, he'd get a kick out of this,_ she thought. She then plopped down on the bed, adjusting herself under the blankets. The moonlight shone through the curtains overhead. She found solace in the fact that she had leverage. Kai wouldn't be able to ditch her, even if he did claim to know of another source of magic. Whatever his secret was, he still needed a Bennett witch to perform the spell. She rolled onto her stomach, folded her arms under the soft pillow and drifted off to sleep.


	4. Secret Source

To her dismay, Bonnie wasn't able to sleep as soundly as she'd hoped. She didn't know why she even attempted to fool herself. Her exhausted state was not enough to distract her mind from the fact that she was sleeping in the bed of the parents that gave birth to a sociopath who murdered his entire family. She tossed and turned until she finally gave up on sleep and sat upright. She got up and turned on the light, sitting back down on the bed. She reached over to the dresser to check her watch. It was 2:15am. She had her back against the pillows and pulled her knees up to her chest.

Bonnie had to think of something before daylight arrived. She had zero intention of letting Kai out into the real world. He was imprisoned for a reason. Who knows what he would do if he got out of this place? Or the amount of innocent lives that would be taken at his hands? Even if she had a plan, what was she to do about this unknown source of magic? Had Kai already absorbed it? Was he even telling the truth? Being a compulsive liar didn't help his case in the slightest. The unknown source could be one big lie. A ploy he used to get her out here so that he could siphon all of her magic, kill her and escape.

She hopped out of bed and began to pace around the room. She came to a stop at the bookshelf loaded with spell books. She pulled them out, one by one, nothing catching her eye or giving her anything useful. Most of them were filled with incantations she already knew. She took note of the order of the books: the books at the top shelves were filled with basic information for fledgling witches. She assumed that the further down the books were on the shelf, the more advanced the magic. She reached down and picked up a black book on the very bottom shelf.

She flipped through the worn, brown pages and made her way back to the bed. Still, nothing of any use crossed her path. She stopped turning the pages when she came across a page with a handwritten message in the top right corner: _For emergency use only_. The incantation next to it, _Evit ni et tempozo_ , described the process of destroying powerful, magical objects. All that was required was the spell and that it be destroyed in a fire. She repeated the phrase until she no longer had to look at the book to remember it. Bonnie threw the book next to her on the bed. Now that she knew how to destroy a magical object, she still needed to find out what object needed to be destroyed.

Her mind was frantic. Where would he keep a secret source of magic? It had to be somewhere in the house, there wasn't anywhere else to go for miles. She got off the bed and began her investigation in his parent's bedroom. She checked the dresser at the foot of the bed, under the bed, the bathroom and the closet. Granted, she had no idea what she was looking for specifically. Still, she found nothing out of the ordinary.

She wondered if this secret source might have been kept locked away in Kai's bedroom. That would explain him making sure that the door was secure earlier. A surge of adrenaline rushed through her body. She knew what she had to do, it was all just a matter of going through with it. She knew that if she didn't succeed, the repercussions would be severe. Her mind's eye flashed back to when he painfully siphoned her magic. She didn't even want to imagine what he would be capable of with this new source of magic. She stood in the middle of the room and murmured the incantation, " _Phasmatos Oculus_." She walked over to the bathroom once more and turned on the light. Her reflection was nowhere in sight. She saw the light which turn downward as she flicked it off.

She tiptoed to the door and cracked it open. She paused to listen for any sounds or movement around the house. She heard nothing. Kai must be sleep. She saw a yellow light in the distance but it was faint since she was at the back of the house. She pushed the door open and stepped outside. As she got further down the hallway, she could see that the light was emitting from the living room downstairs. She leaned on the balcony. She heard people talking, which she assumed was chatter coming from the TV. She heard a familiar chuckle, which confirmed that Kai was awake and better yet, he was distracted.

Nonetheless, Bonnie was curious to see for herself. She discreetly walked down the steps, towards the living room. She stood in the doorway and sure enough, Kai was there. He was sitting on the individual couch furthest away from the entry and closets to the fireplace. The chair was so large that it essentially obscured the fireplace from sight the last time Bonnie saw the living room. It was ablaze with a warm and inviting fire. He had the chair angled diagonally so that he would be able to watch TV and use the coffee table at the same time. On the table was a box of Whoppers candy and the ascendant. It wasn't completely assembled yet but she saw that he had made some progress. He had changed into a black T-shirt and grey sweatpants. He was watching _Star Trek: The Next Generation_ of all shows. Due to her cloaking spell, he wasn't aware of her presence. It was so strange to see him in such a normal setting. Here, he looked like a regular teenage boy, staying up late into the night, snacking and watching TV. Bonnie was somewhat mesmerized by the sight. She shook her head and headed back upstairs.

She made her way towards the bathroom on the far left, figuring it would be best to check each room. With nothing significant to raise suspicion, she moved onto the first bedroom. Glancing back at the staircase for good measure, she entered the youngest sets of twins' room. She kept the light switch off, letting the moonlight guide her. She was careful not to step on any of the toys laying astray on the ground. She went straight for the bunk beds. Nothing grabbed her attention until she saw the edge of a piece of paper poking out from under the bed with pink sheets. She pulled it out and realized that the sheet was much larger than she expected. They were drawings on different colors of construction paper. Most of them were standard children's drawings of flowers or paintings of dinosaurs.

However, one of them caught her eye. This one was in crayon. It depicted stick figures that were labeled as different members of the household as they stood outside for a family photo. The sun was drawn in the upper left hand corner. The house was in the background behind them. Their parents were the tallest stick figures labeled "Mom" and "Dad". The rest of the family followed suit with one of the shorter figures labeled "Me". They were all smiling. But what caught Bonnie's attention was the stick figure that was isolated. It was off to the far right, away from everyone else. It was behind vertical lines that Bonnie assumed to be a cage. The stick figure was labeled "Kai". His stick figure was frowning with eyebrows angled downward that made him look sad and angry at the same time.

Bonnie scrunched up her face and felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. She could only imagine the real meaning behind the drawing. She put the images back in the order she found them, slid them back under the bed. She checked the dresser and the closet then made her way towards the exit. She moved onto the bedroom next door. She examined the neutral colored room as thoroughly as she did the others and still came up short. She developed a system: bed, dresser, and closet then out. She didn't want to linger in one spot for too long.

Back in the hallway, Bonnie could still hear the TV playing. Next was Kai's twin sister's room, Josette. She paused for a moment to look at the pictures that hung on the walls. One was Christmas themed. Kai and Jo were on either side of the smallest set of twins. Kai held a reef and the girl Bonnie assumed to be Jo held a mini, silver Christmas tree. Kai seemed genuinely happy. He and Jo had on red Christmas sweaters, while the little ones wore white and blue. Again, it was odd for Bonnie to view him in such a normal light. She began her search around the room. Nothing in particular stood out to her. She moved from the bed to the dresser and rummaged through the clothes in the drawer until her hand hit something. She dug down deeper and pulled out small, multicolored books. She immediately opened one and scanned its contents:

 _March 19, 1982,_

 _Dinner was horrible tonight. I don't know how to tell mom her cooking sucks but someone should. Dad can't do it because he's too busy being a control freak. On a different note, my training is going well. I learned how to levitate objects successfully. Larissa is so jealous that I'm better at it than her! That's the only plus side to this whole witch thing. I don't get why Larissa is so jealous. It's not as if this magic thing is going to be of much use in the real world. Not that I get to be a part of the real world anyway. Dad keeps us trapped in this house. I can't even interact with any of the other kids up the road. Maybe that's a good thing, though. Who would want to be friends with a witch anyway? Sometimes I just wish I were normal._

 _June 1, 1984,_

 _The sun finally decided to come back out today. It had been raining for all throughout the week. To celebrate, my family and I decided to have a picnic at the park. My parents ate at the table while me, Kai, Joey and Larissa ran off to play hide and seek. Joey got angry because he kept getting found first. One time after Larisa had tagged him, he held his hand towards her and shouted: Motus! It sent her flying backwards. But she got up and laughed it off while the rest of us ran and hid. Larissa found Kai and sent him flying backwards as well. But he was angry when he got up. He got up and marched towards her and grabbed her arm. Larissa screamed, causing our parents to come find us. Joey and I were screaming for Kai to let go of her but he wouldn't. My dad yanked Kai by the arm and took him away. We had to go back home early today. Larissa cried the entire ride home._

Although this story seemed more like the Kai she knew, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of effect his deficiency had on him as a child. Bonnie clasped the book shut, becoming aware that she was getting side tracked again. She glanced towards the door and didn't hear and any footsteps. She hastily put the books back under the clothes in the dresser and left the room. She checked the bathroom on this end of the hall halfheartedly. She was beginning to give up hope. Finally, she came to stop in front of Kai's door. She had her hand on the doorknob when she noticed the silence that filled the house. She could no longer hear the murmur from the television.

But what she did hear sent her heart racing. Footsteps were quickly coming up the stairs. Bonnie froze as Kai came in her line of sight. He was walking towards her with the fixed ascendant in hand. Bonnie recoiled and stepped backwards against the bathroom door that was next to Kai's room. She wasn't able to go inside; even though he could not see her, he would be able to notice if a door moved on its own. As he came forward and reached the door, she could see that his eyes were heavily lidded and his hair was disheveled. He raked a hand through his hair as he came to a stop in front of his door. He reached in the pocket of his sweatpants and pulled out a key.

She had never been this close to him before. Being this close, she could smell the soap on his body and the shampoo in his hair. He emitted a fresh and woodsy scent. She stood statue still with her arms wrapped around her body, not daring to breathe as he unlocked his door, stepped inside, shut it and locked it back again. She let out a small breath of relief. She waited a beat before scurrying across his door to get back to his parent's bedroom. She shut it and locked it as quietly as she possibly could.

" _Phasmatos Oculus."_ She knew her physical form had been restored. She made her way to the bed, grabbing her watch off the dresser. It was 3:45am. She tossed the watch back down on the dresser and laid down on the bed, lazily throwing the covers on top of her. She laid on her side with one arm under the pillow.

She was beyond irritated. She did all that snooping to come up short, for nothing. Well, it wasn't entirely for nothing. She found out more information about Kai. More than she would have liked to know. But she could not deny that she was intrigued by what she found. She knew that she couldn't just outright ask him about his childhood. And another opportunity to snoop around his house was slim to none.

More importantly, she still hadn't located the new source of magic. But her gut instincts were telling her that whatever it was, it was locked safely away in his bedroom. Not only that, but the ascendant was now fixed and ready to go. She rolled over on her other side, facing the bookshelf. The spell she learned about earlier rang in her head. It would be a long shot but she had to do everything in her power to ensure that Kai stayed imprisoned. Permanently. She closed her eyes with her mind still whirling.

* * *

Daylight shone through the window above her head. Since she could barely sleep last night, it didn't take much effort for her to roll out of bed. She checked her watch, which read 10:15am. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and grabbed a T-shirt and some shorts out of her bag. She made her way to the bathroom, stopping in front of the elongated mirror. There were rows of golden lights above it and a marble countertop below it. The toilet was to the left of the counter and the tub was behind her. She lifted Damon's shirt and slowly peeled the bandage off her stomach, wincing at the pain. Thankfully, the wound was closed by this point. She disposed of the used bandage and proceeded to take a shower.

As the warm water hit her, she realized that she still did not have a set plan. She had an idea but it was risky. This idea of hers relied on the element of surprise. She would have to act fast once the source was revealed. Once she was dressed, the smell of food filled her nostrils, causing her stomach to growl in response. She headed downstairs, with her packed bag. The smell of pancakes becoming more prominent as she approached the kitchen.  
"Oh, good morning!" He said placing a pancake onto a plate. He was fully dressed and his bag was on the countertop. "Hope you slept well. Got a big day ahead of us."

Bonnie didn't respond as she took a seat at the table. She placed her bag in the chair next to her. He brought her plate over that was filled with pancakes, eggs and bacon. He walked back over to the fridge.

"Milk or OJ?"

"OJ." She said rubbing her temple.

He returned to the table to join her and Bonnie dug in. Before she knew it, half of her plate was gone.

"Someone's hungry." Kai commented taking a sip of orange juice.

"What do you expect? I did skip dinner last night." Bonnie said with a mouth full of food.

"Oh I'm not complaining. It's nice to see someone enjoying my cooking. Ya know, since I haven't really had much time _to_ cook for anyone else."

There it was again. Kai's knack for telling uncomfortable truths. Bonnie felt that familiar sinking in her stomach. The same sinking sensation she felt last night when she found those drawings and the diary entries. The drawings and diaries she found while she was searching for an unknown source of magic. The unknown source of magic that Kai _assumed_ that they would be using to return home but in actuality, she planned to destroy within a few hours. She suddenly felt fuller than she actually was and found herself not that hungry anymore.

Kai rambled on between bites of food, not noticing her inner turmoil. "I like to cook. It relaxes me. Would you believe that I've gotten better at it over the years? I've even traveled to learn how to cook an array of foods. I got tired of the same old Portland dishes. So I flew to Maine to try signature lobster, BBQ from Texas. I even visited a little town in Virginia for some southern cuisine. I heard it's filled with mystical creatures like, vampires and witches. Ever heard of it?"

Bonnie didn't respond but eyed him with exasperation.

"I'll give you a hint, it rhymes with, Sistek Halls."

"Funny." She said dryly.

"Who knows Bon, you and I could have been in the same place at the same time." He winked at her.

"Doubt it."

"Nevertheless," he said getting up from the table and grabbing their plates. "We'll be returning there shortly."

He placed their dishes in the sink and proceeded to wash them. Bonnie's eyes scanned the room for a clock. It read 11:50am. For someone that was in such a rush to catch the eclipse, which was to take place at 12:28pm, Kai appeared to have lost track of time. He finished the dishes and dug through his bag on the counter.

"Good news, the ascendant," he pulled it out. "Is all better now. It's ready to go when we are." He glanced at the clock. "Which should be about right now." He threw his bag over his shoulder and led the way out of the kitchen. Bonnie followed suit, her heart rate increasing with every step she took.

Kai led her outside. He was a few steps ahead of her. "Did I ever tell you why I wasn't able to finish off the youngest set of twins?"

"No, but I'm sure you'll inform me."

He chuckled and smiled back at her. "You really are perceptive. But I'm sure you could remember if you think hard enough."

Bonnie sighed. "You said something about your twin getting in the way."

"Very good! See, that wasn't so hard."

He led her to a large tree stump that was off to the side of the front yard. He stood on one side as she did the other. He placed his bag on the ground.

"All I wanted was to kill the little rascals, merge with my twin sister and become the leader of the Gemini Coven. Why that was too much to ask is beyond me." He rested his hands on either side of the stump. Bonnie was anxious but curious as to where the story was going.

He continued. "But of course, my sister had to drag it out, forcing me to chase her around the house until I eventually, saw her standing right there," He pointed to her. "In that very spot. She agreed to merge with me if I spared Luke and Olivia. To which I obliged and she led me into the forest, along with the rest of the Coven to complete the ceremony." He scrunched his face up. "Everything was going fine until, I realized that I couldn't feel her magic. It was the most curious thing. And then, as you know, my Coven used the power of the eclipse to send me here," He gestured outwardly around them. "To this prison world."

"Having spent the last eighteen years in solitude to have that night constantly on a loop in my head got me thinking, where'd Jo's magic go? It didn't just disappear. She must have, put it somewhere." Kai reached down into the stump, shuffling past the leaves until his hand emerged with a bulky knife. The blade was thick and silver with a wooden hilt. The secret source of magic.

"In this." Kai looked at the knife with such yearning that it disturbed her. She reflexively took a step back. "My sneaky little twin sister hid her magic in this."

Bonnie waited a minute before she spoke. "It's still there."

"And still full of magic." He said talking mostly to himself this time. He held it in midair and closed his eyes. His hand was glowing that familiar crimson along the hilt. When the glowing red of his hand faded away, he opened his eyes and left it suspended in midair.

"Well it was. I just sucked it out."

"You have magic again. Good for you."

He snatched it out of the air with one hand. "I also have the ascendant."

"Doesn't matter, you need a Bennett witch to do the spell."

"Ya see the thing is, I've seen you do the spell already. I don't think I need you for that anymore. I think all I actually need, is Bennett blood."

Bonnie instinctively reacted before his words could fully register. He lunged towards her with the knife, missing her by inches as she jumped backward. She stumbled backwards and landed on her back. Kai was quickly advancing on her. He attempted to grab her by the foot but she kicked at him. He came at her from an angle, bent down on his knees in the grass and grabbed her by the neck. Her arms immediately went to wrap around his. She gasped in a failed attempt to breathe.

His left arm encased her neck while his right held the knife above her. "I know that I could easily just kill you using magic but I prefer the old fashioned way." His hand sent the knife barreling down to her chest but it was swiftly halted by Bonnie's left hand. She extended her right hand towards him and choked out "Motus!" His arm released her and his body went flying past the tree stump and at the edge of the forest. The knife lay near the stump between them.

Bonnie, gasping for air and clutching her neck ran to collect the knife and her bag. She ran towards the house, magically locking the door behind her. She turned right into the living room, coming to a stop in front of the fireplace.

" _Incendia_!" She shouted. A roaring fire erupted at her command. She threw the knife into it and recited the incantation she read the night before.

" _Evit ni et tempozo."_ She saw the blade of the knife slowly form into a silver liquid, spreading over the firewood. A loud bang she heard at the door made her heart momentarily stop. Kai had finally caught up to her. Bonnie strained in order to concentrate on keeping the door locked and another spell.

She murmured another incantation, one that she had known for years but hoped she would never have to put to use. Kai stopped banging to listen.

"Bonnie, no. What are you doing?!" His voice was frantic and enraged. Bonnie focused more on the spell rather than the door. The thuds on the door became louder and heavier. Kai began throwing his weight against the door until it finally gave way. Bonnie jumped at the intrusion.

He stormed into the living room and stared at her with such ferocity that it sent a chill up her spine. She knew that if he had still retained any of the magic he sucked out of the knife earlier, she'd be dead any minute. His eyes danced between her and the fireplace. He stalked towards her. His voice was so low when he spoke, it sounded like a growl. "What did you do?"

"See for yourself." She held out her arm to him.

He yanked it and her body towards him. Bonnie looked up at him smugly.

He looked at her, puzzled. "I don't feel anything."

Bonnie stayed still.

He looked back at the fireplace once more. A deranged smile crept upon his features he realized what she had done. He released her arm and stormed past her and paused in front of the fireplace.

"You put your magic in the knife and destroyed it." It wasn't a question.

She didn't respond.

He waited a beat. Then he picked up a glass decorative off the mantle and threw it at the wall and screamed. There was nothing but the sound of the shattering glass and his heavy breathing. He marched up to her, staring down into the face of contempt before bolting out of the house.

Bonnie wasn't sure where he had gone, how long he would be or if would return. After about five minutes of silence, her mind attempting to grasp everything that just happened, she grabbed her bag off the couch. She checked its contents: she had her clothes, a pair of shoes and Ms. Cuddles, her new secret source of magic.


	5. Astray

Bonnie had no idea how much time had passed. All she knew was that she had to get out of the house, and fast. Kai's reaction was nothing short of hair-raising. What did she expect? She had just destroyed his last chance at freedom. Or so he thought. Bonnie clutched onto Ms. Cuddles with both arms, bringing the stuffed animal close to her chest. It was something that she knew Kai would never suspect and also personal enough that she would have an excuse to always have it by her side. She smiled a small smile to herself. She couldn't believe that her plan actually worked.

She held Ms. Cuddles in one hand with her bag slung over her other shoulder. She needed to leave. But where would she go? There weren't any other houses for miles. And she hardly knew her way around Portland of all places. Not only that, she had no idea about Kai's whereabouts. He could be anywhere, lurking and waiting for another opportunity to strike. Even with her magic, she still needed the ascendant to get back home, which Kai conveniently had at the moment.

Bonnie turned towards the hallway, the staircase in her line of sight. She suddenly became aware that this was her first and probably only time being alone in the house. The discoveries she made about his past were so compelling that Bonnie itched to know more. Although, she didn't want to give him another reason to come looking for her, learning about him would give her something to occupy her mind during her solitary confinement. This would also be her only chance to finally get inside Kai's room and see what he was hiding. Not to mention the infinite knowledge that resided in the spell books his parents' kept.

She turned towards the front door, which had been violently kicked off its hinges and leaned off to the right side. The day was so bright, beautiful and ordinary that it would never be known that Bonnie was fighting for her life earlier. She teetered on her feet. She knew that the smartest, wisest and safest decision would be to escape, quickly and quietly while she still had the chance. She knew that she should run until her feet bled, found a vehicle and drive as far away from Portland, Oregon as possible.

Knowing all of this, she turned on her heel and sprinted up the steps, bag and bear in hand. She made a beeline for the youngest sets of twins' room. She grabbed a few of the pictures from under the beds, the ones she presumed to depict Kai, folded them and stuffed them into her bag. She then headed to his parents' room and took two spell books, one from the middle of the bookshelf and one from the bottom. Next was Josette's room. She remembered the exact drawer containing the diaries. Out of the five, she took two. She wanted to take enough to examine, but not enough for Kai to notice that too much was missing. Even if he did notice, she would be long gone before he could find her. Finally, she came to a stop directly in front of Kai's bedroom door for the second time. She jiggled the knob to no avail.

Bonnie groaned. She didn't have time to search the house for a key. Knowing him, he probably kept the keys on him at all times. She stepped back and murmured an incantation. There was an audible click. She turned the knob again and went inside. He meant it when he said he didn't like to make a mess. The room was as just as spotless as it was the first time she saw it. His bed was so neatly put together that it didn't look as if anyone had slept in it the night before.

She dived toward the bed, lifting the covers, finding nothing but a row of evenly space out shoes. She moved to the closet next. She opened it and there was just enough room to step inside. His coats, jeans, everything he owned was neatly hanging and folded in its rightful place. His tidiness was beginning to irk Bonnie. _Of course a sociopath would be organized._ She turned around to leave but her foot hit something. She didn't see the object that her foot connected with. It looked as if she had kicked the air. She pushed her foot forward again and a box came into view. She smiled smugly, _A cloaking spell._

She slid it out and began shuffling through folded, crinkled band posters, spell books and random issues of Playboy magazines. _Ew._ She kept digging until she felt something prick her finger. "Ouch!" she exclaimed. She brought her thumb to her mouth and sucked the small droplet of blood. Using her other hand, she carefully pulled out a broken glass picture frame. It was a family portrait. They stood in front of what looked to be a museum. Everyone looked normal except for Kai, whose face had been etched out in marker. She dug down deeper and found similar photos with Kai's face scribbled out or torn out of the picture altogether. Aside from the photos, there was nothing of interest to take. She hurriedly placed the items back in the box and cloaked it once again, shutting the closet door behind her.

She figured that she had collected enough items and called it quits with the snooping before her bag got too heavy. She locked his door back, sprinted down the steps and ran out of the house, not looking back.

Bonnie was beginning to sweat. She didn't know how long she had been walking. Or how much longer she would have to keep it up. She had been walking on a long strip of road between the woods on either side of her. Evening was approaching and there was nothing but the sound of small animals in the forest and her feet on the road. There really weren't any houses for miles. _At least Kai knew how to be honest about something,_ she thought bitterly. There wasn't anything for miles, except signs about mileage. No gas stations, fast food places, churches, nothing. She was hoping that she would come across a car at least so that she wouldn't have to endure the entire trip on foot. No luck there.

Up ahead was a large hill. She hoped that she would find some shelter before nightfall. She couldn't just sleep outside in the middle of the woods. By the lack of options, that one was becoming more realistic. She trudged forward, dropping her bag to the ground as she reached the top of the hill. The road hadn't ended but she found something better. She felt so relieved that she wanted to cry. She smiled at the sight of a small red jeep parked on the side of the road. It was facing the upward direction of the hill. It wouldn't have been her first choice but beggars couldn't be choosers.

Bonnie ran towards the jeep, looking straight for the ignition. Nothing. She checked the backseat for the keys and still found nothing. She continued to search halfheartedly, knowing deep down that the keys wouldn't be there. There was no roof, so she through her bag and Ms. Cuddles in the backseat of the vehicle. She hopped in and proceeded to wrack her brain about how to hotwire a car. She remembered something about the steering column. She removed it and saw the three different colored wires. After a few shocks and swear words, she was able to rev up the engine. She turned the jeep around and sped off down the hill.

By now the sun had set some time ago. Bonnie and her vehicle were engulfed by the night. She was spent, hungry and in great need of a hot shower. But she had to keep going. She wouldn't be satisfied until she got at least a few states away. She turned on the radio to keep herself alert. Nothing of her particular interest was playing. Besides, if something did go wrong, what was the worst that could happen at this point? At worst, she would fall asleep at the wheel and wind up in a bush. Or wrapped around a tree. To her, either of those were better options than being found by Kai. Bonnie shook her head. She shouldn't be having such negative thoughts. Negative as they were, they were realistic.

The night air wisped past her and cooled her skin. She passed open plots of land and forests. She noticed a few neighborhoods, housing complexes and hotels along the way but she wasn't content with that. She checked the time in the jeep, it was 3:23am. She yawned and kept driving.

To her satisfaction, she saw a larger sign approaching. She squinted through the darkness and read "Utah Welcomes You." She drove a little further until she came to a neighborhood of two or three story houses. Each house was a different design. Some were made of brick or stone. The road that divided the houses was wide and mountains were visible in the distance. Each house had a small strip of land in the front yard, with a sidewalk connecting each yard. There were thin, medium height trees in the yards as well as street lights. They all emitted a bright yellow.

She drove deep into the neighborhood, noting how large it was. The roads and houses were endless. Even though a hotel room would have been too big and creepy to sleep in alone, she still felt a bit uneasy sleeping in someone else's home, even if this was a parallel universe. But, this would have to do for tonight. She could drive further away in the morning.

She drove up to a two-story cobblestone house. The front door and garage door to the left of the house were black. There was an arched window on either side of the door. The roof was black as well, with four two sets of windows spread apart from each other. She parked in the driveway and went inside. She hit the light switch to her left and hazily took in her surroundings. There was a staircase to her left, the living area was in front of her and the kitchen was to her right. She was too tired to do any further investigating. What would be the need? She knew she was alone. She headed up the stairs and slid into the first room she came across. It was too dark to see anything other than the large bed that faced her. The moon emitted a faint light from the window to her right. She shut the door, locking it behind her. She mustered just enough energy to change into a tank top and shorts and flopped down onto the queen sized bed. All she remembered was darkness.

When she woke, it was still dark. But that was primarily due to her having the pillow over her head. She moved it down slightly and peeped underneath it. The wooden wardrobe was illuminated from the sun's light. Her eye darted to the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was 1pm. Bonnie never liked to oversleep. She only overslept when she was sick or extremely tired. In this case, the reason was the latter.

She sat up slowly, letting the blue blankets fall to her waist. She momentarily forgot where she was, halfheartedly taking in her surroundings. A widow and balcony were to the left of her, with a nightstand on either side of the bed. There were pictures of two children on each dresser. A young boy and girl of about elementary age. The wardrobe was on the far right of the room. It truly was a cozy abode but she knew she couldn't get too comfortable here. She couldn't stay here for long. She knew that Kai would be after her eventually. She groaned to herself at that fact. She shouldn't have to spend the rest of her parallel life on the run. And she didn't want to. The neighborhood was decent. More than decent, actually, it was perfect. She had managed to get a whole two states away from Portland. And on this entire empty planet, how would Kia even know where to begin looking for her?

Her stomach growling interrupted her thoughts. When was the last time she ate? Oh yeah, yesterday morning when Kai attempted to kill her. She scowled at the memory. She threw off the covers and headed downstairs to the kitchen. She remembered that she hadn't taken the time to truly examine the house last night. She was awe struck by the kitchen just as she was with the rest of the house. There was white marble counter on top of the wooden island in the center of the kitchen. The fridge was large and silver to her left with a marble counter extending on the side of one wall. It led to the black and silver oven, which was suspended between the wooden cabinets on the opposite side of the room. There was a white chandelier dangling over the island with golden lights.

She wanted something quick and easy to make while she thought about her next move. She checked the fridge. There wasn't much inside, a part from a few vegetables and kids' snacks. She checked the cabinets next, still no luck. She sighed. She'd have to find a grocery store if she wanted to eat. She hoped there would be one nearby. She threw on a jacket and some jeans, grabbed the car keys and made her way to the jeep.

Bonnie had always been fairly good with directions. But to be sure, she found a map lying around the house and brought it along just in case she couldn't remember her way back. Once in the parking lot of the nearest store, she circled her destination. She began to appreciate and miss the convenience of a GPS. The good news was that it didn't take long, it was only about a fifteen minute drive. She ran inside and grabbed all of the essentials, milk, eggs, cheese, etc. A few veggies were a necessity, and she since had no idea what she had a taste for, so she grabbed some snacks as well. Chips, cookies, the list was endless.

She got back to the house and unloaded the groceries, making herself a quick meal consisting of a turkey sandwich, chips and a cup of apple juice, before she headed to the living room. It was a wide open space. There was a glass slide door used as a fourth wall directly across from her. A sleek wooden dining table sat a few feet in front of it. Bonnie plopped down on the black wrap around couch. She placed her plate on the circular glass table in front of her and grabbed the remote control. She aimed upwards towards the TV that was embedded in the wall above a stone fireplace. She left the channel on the news as background noise.

She sat contemplating as she ate. Where in the hell was Kai? Why would he just take off like that? He had to be up to something, he always had some scheme going on. How long was she going to stay here? How long _could_ she stay here? Her thoughts of him triggered her memory of his belongings that she took. She popped a chip in her mouth and darted upstairs to fetch her bag. She emptied its contents onto the bed and reached for one of the drawings.

This drawing was on a smaller piece of construction paper than the last picture. It was black with white crayon. There was a lone stick figure standing in the middle of what appeared to be a dark room. The only light came from a small crack under a door that shown above the stick figure's head. There were small boxes, coats racks and random items around the figure. Bonnie assumed it to be a boy since it was drawn with short hair. The figure was drawn with tears in its eyes and a sad face. She concluded that he was in the basement. Bonnie began to feel a sense of shame. These images were personal but her curiosity got the best of her.

Next, her eyes fell upon one of Josette's journals. She sat on the bed and picked up the green one she had begun to read earlier:

 _September 12, 1988,_

 _I've been trying to do my homework for the past hour or so but I can't concentrate with Kai's incessant banging and yelling. He's been yelling for hours. Dad's had him on punishment since our training this afternoon. The objective was to perform a simple elemental spell, The Water Flow spell. Dad took us out to a lake, Joey, Larissa, Kai and myself. Joey, Larissa and I did fine but when Kai, like the rest of us, knew that he wouldn't be able to do it. He was standing next to me in the lineup, so nudged him to take my arm without our dad seeing. Kai took ahold of me and I tried not wince through the pain but dad still saw us. He said that wasn't good enough, that Kai needed to learn to use magic on his own. So dad locked him in the attic as punishment. He cast an illusion spell to make Kai see what frightens him most. Dad believes that if Kai truly wanted to get out, then he would unlock his abilities and do so. He's done this for months now and Kai still hasn't shown any signs of improvement. I hate that dad treats him this way. No one deserves that, not even Kai. I hate that he puts him in the attic, I can hear him too well up there. Dad either puts him in the attic or the basement. Sometimes, after all of the yelling and banging, he gets quite. I'm pretty sure I've heard him crying a couple of times too._

Bonnie stopped reading and closed the book. She could have sworn she felt her food beginning to come back up. She felt disgusted. What kind of father would do that to their son? And what kind of mother would allow that mistreatment to continue? Although she loathed his parent's actions, it did not justify Kai's murderous rampage. However, she was beginning to see where his anger stemmed from. She knew that she was wrong for prying on these intimate moments but as wrong as it was, she yearned to know more. She leaned back onto the bed, braced herself and continued to read well into the night.

Bonnie developed a routine over the next couple of weeks. She would cook, clean and entertain herself with television, reading, or the board games she found around the house. Although, it was fairly challenging to play chess against herself. She eventually had to venture out and find herself some new clothes. The nearest department store was about a thirty minute drive. She stocked up on shoes, jewelry and anything else that tickled her fancy. That was a small bonus in the prison world she noted, not having to pay for anything.

She also killed time by reading Jo's diaries. She figured it would be wise to read them from cover to cover. Some bits were entertaining but she was drawn to any entry that was about Kai. She giggled at the entry about his illusion pranks he would pull on his siblings. He would often pretend to be one of their parents, leaving them paranoid and anxious as to if their real parents were ever around. She also found herself close to tears at the entries about his wretched parent's mistreatments of him.

Above all else, exercising was her favorite pastime. It relieved stress and she had the mountains of Utah as her gym. She would awake early in the morning, have a bottle of water and a Walkman by her side, although she desperately missed her iPod, and head off into the mountains. It truly was a gorgeous sight. The evergreen trees encased her as she jogged uphill towards a small lake she used as a resting spot. When her walk was finished, she would head back to the house and take a soothing hot bath with a glass of wine as a reward.

On one particular day, her schedule did not go quite as planned. She jogged back towards the house, covered in sweat and Madonna blasting in her ears. She took off her jacket and threw it on the one of the stools in the kitchen, leaving her in a sports bra, track pants and sneakers. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and gulped half of the bottle until something caught her eye. There was something off about the living room. She stood in the doorway to the kitchen and stared, dumbfounded. She turned off the headset and placed the headphones around her neck, stepping forward with caution. When she finally realized what was wrong with the picture before her, she was no longer hot from her work out. She became cold and stiff.

Directly in her line of sight on the dining table was a video camera that she was certain was not their before or in the house at all. There was a small piece of yellow paper on the side of it with writing she could not make out at that distance. She swallowed hard, frozen in place and glanced around the house. She saw no one and heard nothing. She slowly stepped forward, darting her eyes frantically around her as she made her way to the table. She could finally make out what it said: "Watch me." There was a winky face next to it along with a phone number on the back. Bonnie's stomach sank.

She picked it up and turned the camcorder on its side, pressing the red "On" button. To her horror and annoyance, Kai appeared. He was adjusting the camera on the glass coffee table, leaned back on the couch while chewing on a Twizzler, the Twizzlers she recently bought. He smiled at the camera and placed his feet on the coffee table.

"Found you! It seems that you have been a very naughty girl, Bon Bon. I went back home to find not one, but several of my personal items missing. Some pictures, journals, and even a couple of spell books. Now I wonder who's doing that was?" He cocked his head to the side. "I knew you were plucky Bonnie but I never would have took you for a thief." He took his feet off the table and placed them on the ground, his elbows resting on his legs as he twiddled with the candy in his hands. "I couldn't just let you leave with my possessions. So, I took it upon myself to follow you." He smiled at the camera. "I figured you couldn't have gotten too far away in such a short amount of time. That's when I noticed the bulk of food missing from the grocery store that's usually pretty stocked whenever I make a pit stop here."

"I also saw the jeep and made my way to," he waved his hand in the air, "This little abode. Nice pick by the way." He leaned in closer to the camera. "You know I've noticed a few things about you over these past couple of weeks. I've watched you laugh at old movies, dance around the house, sleep in those button up PJs, which by the way, not my favorite. No, my favorite are those cute little pink shorts. Now that," he whistled. "Does something for me." Bonnie felt her skin crawl. He threw his hands up dismissively. "But I digress. To make a long story short, I just want back what rightfully belongs to me." He shrugged, and held his hands out in front of him.

"So, we could do this the easy way, you could contact me via phone, the number of which you can find on the back of the post-it note, and we can work something out. Or," His expression was sinister. "I'll just come after you." He paused. "Oh!" He reached into his back pocket. "It might interest you to know that I also have the ascendant." He took out the bronze, circular, ticking object and eyed it lazily. "Although it's a long shot, we'll need it to get back home should we ever come across another source of magic." He paused, staring into the camera with a knowing expression. "We need each other, Bon." The camera went to black and he was gone.

Bonnie felt her knees buckling under her. She ran towards the bathroom behind the couch, quickly shoved the lid to the toilet seat up and heaved over it, puking out what little breakfast she had earlier. She sat on her knees with her head throbbing. _How long has he been watching me? How much of me has he seen? He's seen me sleep, get undressed, has he seen me shower? He could have easily killed me at any time._ Bonnie hurled in the stool again. She was shaking, from vomiting, rage and disgust. Why did she get complacent here? Why did she ever think that she would be able to outrun him? How did he manage to find her so quickly? And what was the point of threatening to come after her? He already knew where she was. She wiped her mouth, flushed the toilet and slowly got up to lean over the sink.

She washed her hands absentmindedly. Knowing him, Kai could be watching her this very minute. The only plus side was that she didn't practice magic over the last couple of weeks. Kai would have caught on to her secret. She sighed to herself at the realization. She turned off the faucet and lingered in the restroom for a while longer. Her stomach finally began to settle. She rested her hands on the counter, staring into the mirror. She couldn't let him get away with this. She could not let him win so easily. She would not live out the rest of her parallel days running. Whatever her next move was, she refused to play the mouse in Kai's games any longer.


	6. Let the Games Begin

She gargled a capful of mouthwash, rinsing her mouth and face with water before heading back to the living room. Her thoughts were swirling and she couldn't keep still. She paced around the living area. The sense of feeling trapped overwhelmed her. She wasn't going to run anymore. If she was honest with herself, she knew that she _couldn't_ run anymore even if she wanted to. She could fly to Jamaica and Kai would still catch up to her eventually. Eventually, she was getting real fed up with that word. No matter how far she ventured, she knew that it would only be a matter of time before he found her. He would always find her, eventually.

Her only options were either to run and play an eternal game of hide and seek. She frowned and shook her head at the mere thought. She had stopped pacing. Or, she could give in. She could swallow her pride, pack her things and go willingly to him. He would have no reason to hurt her. She would just have to spend the rest of her days alongside a sociopath. She didn't care for that notion either. Even if he thought she didn't have her magic, Kai was still dangerous and she'd be a fool to let her guard down. He said himself that there could possibly be another source of magic. Another source that he would undoubtedly be searching for. She continued to pace.

Then again, by having him near by, she would be able to keep a close eye on the ascendant. Possibly even get her hands on it. Get her hands on it and go home alone. Bonnie rushed over to the camcorder on the dining table and picked up the sticky note. She examined the phone number on the back: 801-275-9046. There was no need to memorize it. She had no intention of calling it. She balled up the yellow square and threw it in the kitchen trash can for good measure. She decided that it would be best if he were the one to come to her. As for herself, she chose to do absolutely nothing.

The next couple of days went by as per usual. She would do laundry, read, watch old movies and even took a trip to the grocery store. She refused to allow her stalker to control her. However, she was very disappointed by the fact that she could no longer indulge in Jo's journals anymore. As fearless as she was, she'd be lying to herself if she said she wasn't a tad bit more paranoid. She became hyper alert of her surroundings. She had checked the house for bugs and cameras to no avail. That only proved her theory that he had spied on her by physically breaking in and watching her. Throughout the day and at night before bed, she would check every nook and cranny of the house for any signs of things that might have moved or be out of place. She also would make sure that each door and window to the house were locked. One day the volume on the TV was turned up high and it went to static while she was cleaning the bathroom, she nearly jumped out of her skin. She wasn't comfortable enough to take her usual hikes up the mountain anymore and she cursed herself for it. She hated being restrained like this. Being monitored like she was a common prisoner.

There was no sign of Kai for the next four days. She knew he hadn't forgotten his threat. She was curious as to how long he would go before he acted on it. By the time the sixth day since he had broken into the house had arrived, Bonnie thought she would try something different. She couldn't stand being refined to the house any longer and decided to go for a walk up the mountain. She kept the music turned down low on the Walkman so she could keep a sharper eye on her surroundings. He was nowhere to be found. She didn't want to appear as if his threat had any affect on her. But she knew that if he had continued to watch her, he would've been able to sense a change in her behavior.

Once she got over the fact that she was being stalked, Bonnie felt a rush knowing that her every move was being watched. She found herself somewhat performing when she would exercise or dance around the kitchen. She figured that if he wanted to watch, she'd give him something to look at. Apart from intimate moments like showering of course, she made sure the door was shut by locking it and barricading herself inside with a chair against the door.

On the seventh morning, she had gotten up particularly early to make breakfast. Just as she was about to flip her omelette, the phone in the kitchen rang. Bonnie was sure her heart stopped at the sudden noise. She jumped, causing her to flip her omelette onto the floor. She cursed and proceeded to wipe up the mess as the landline continued to ring. She irritably threw her wasted breakfast into the trash bin below the phone in the wall and finally picked it up.

"Morning!" A familiar voice sang. "It's good to see you up bright and early."

"What do you want, Kai?" She said through gritted teeth. She stepped out further into the living room with the long, coiled cord extending behind her, folding her arms.

"Hey hey hey, what's with the tude, Bon? Just a minute ago you seemed to be in such a good mood."

"Oh really? How do I seem now?" She held up her middle finger and gave a fake smile.

"That's not lady like."

"And I _was_ in a good mood until someone called and made me drop my breakfast."

"Not my fault you have butterfingers. But getting back to the matter at hand, it seems that you have forgotten our little arrangement. It's been seven days, I had yet to receive a phone call."

"Oh I didn't forget. And if I recall, it wasn't much of an arrangement. It was more like a threat."

"Threat is such a harsh word. Think of it more as a warning. And seeing as you haven't done anything about it over the past week, I'm going to assume that you chose the latter of the consequences where I have to pursue you."

Bonnie sighed. "Do what you must."

He paused. "If I didn't know any better, it almost seems as if you _want_ me to come after you."

 _Yeah, so I can steal the ascendant, possibly kill you and go back home._

"Assume what you will." She thought for a moment. "If all you want are your possessions, why can't I just give them back to you and we could go our separate ways?"

"Now Bon Bon, you know that's not how this works. I have to teach you a lesson about misbehaving."

She shook her head. "So, when can I expect a visit from the Devil himself?"

"Sooner than you think."

He hung up the phone and she followed suit. She had no idea how much time she had until he arrived. But guessing from the fact that he was able to see her, it wouldn't be long. She looked down at her attire: an over-sized, grey sweater and a pair of black shorts that she slept in the night before. It was acceptable, nothing too revealing for the pervert. She raced upstairs to retrieve the bag of stolen items and rummaged through the wardrobe for another bag to put them her luck, she found a book bag. She placed the drawings, journals and spell books inside, leaving her personal items in her bag. She made sure to leave Ms. Cuddles hidden away at the bottom.

She ran back downstairs to the kitchen, placing the bag on the counter. She was too anxious to attempt to make herself another omelette but she was also still hungry. She made herself a quick bowl of cereal, choosing to walk around the kitchen instead of sitting while she ate. She had no idea what Kai had in store for her. Or how this plan of hers was going to work. She hoped it would go as smoothly as her other plan.

She finished eating and began to wash it when she heard a knock at the door. Her stomach dropped. _He really did mean soon._ She grabbed the bag off the counter and stepped out into the living room and saw him standing behind the glass door with a bag over his shoulder. He smiled and raised his hand, twinkling his fingers at the sight of her. He appeared taller than she remembered. Then again, she hadn't seen him in a little less than a month. She sauntered over and reluctantly slid the glass door open. He stepped inside, smiling down at her.

"Miss me?"

"Not really."

"Oh well."

He walked over to the couch and threw his bag on it. He sat down next to it, placing his feet on the coffee table and folding his arms behind his head. "So, what's for breakfast?"

"I don't know about you," she walked over to stand beside him on the couch, "but I just had a bowl of Apple Jacks."

"I'll take what I can get." He said picking up the remote.

"Excuse me?"

"You know, whatever you feel like making."

"Let's get one thing straight, I'm not your maid. I don't work for you and I'm not cooking you a damn thing. Anything you want to eat, you can make it yourself."

He smiled, eyeing her up and down. "Bonnie Bennett in a maid outfit, now that I would pay to see."

She picked up a pillow and hit him over the head with it. He recoiled in the process. She then threw the book bag in his lap. "As promised, everything that rightfully belongs to you. Now take it and get out."

"That was rude." He said rubbing his head. He checked the contents of the bag before standing to face her. "And if I recall, that wasn't a part of the deal." He said smugly.

"What do you want, Kai?" She blurted out frustratedly. "You already have your things, what more do you want from me?"

"Well aside from the obvious, I don't want anything else from you."

He left the bag on the couch and headed towards the kitchen. She followed bewildered.

"Then why are you still here?"

He went towards the fridge and pulled out random ingredients, placing them on the counter. "Is it so hard to believe that I genuinely enjoy your company?"

"It is, actually." She said coming up to the island, folding her arms. "And what are you doing?" You didn't buy that."

"Technically, neither did you."

"Well, technically, everything in the fridge is mine since _I_ drove to the supermarket to get it." She snatched the loaf of bread out of his hand. "Now, go make a sandwich elsewhere. "

"Why would I do that when there's plenty of food here for the both of us?" He yanked the bread back from her.

"I'm sorry, _us_? You speak as if you're staying."

"That's because I am." He said nonchalantly, continuing to prepare his meal.

"What?! Like hell you are. In what universe would I want to live with the person who tried to stab me no less than a month ago?"

"The universe where you're trapped in a supernatural parallel dimension on a repeating loop of May 10, 1994." He finished making his sandwich, grabbed some cookies and a glass of juice and headed to the living room. Bonnie had no choice but to follow.

"Besides, its like I said in my home movie, we need each other." He sat on the couch, plate in hand and feet on the table once more. He moved the bag he packed and the bag Bonnie gave back to him to the side of the couch. Bonnie came to a stop standing next to him. "Need each other for what? Yes, you may have the ascendant but without any magic, we're stuck here." Her mind's eye flew to an image of her teddy bear.

"I also said that there could be another source of magic somewhere. Someone needs to work on their listening skills." He took a bite of his food.

"Someone heard you just fine. Someone also remembers you saying that before and look how that turned out." She pushed his feet off the table and walked past him to sit on the opposite end of the couch. He picked up the remote and began flipping through the channels.

"Oh yeah, I meant to comment on that little stunt you pulled. Neat trick by the way. I wouldn't have thought of that myself. Needless to say, don't try it again."

"Wouldn't dream of it." She said sarcastically.

Bonnie folded her legs underneath her body and propped her head up with her arm, half watching the TV.

"Shouldn't you be out sacrificing squirrels or whatever it is sociopaths do in their spare time?"

"I think you're confusing me with serial killers."

"You're not too far off from one."

"Please, I don't deserve _that_ much credit."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You never answered my question."

"And what question was that?" He bit off half of a cookie.

"What do you want and why are you still here?"  
"That's two questions."

"The answer them."

He sighed. "Fine. I came back for my things, that one is obvious. And two," He shrugged. "I'm bored."

"You're bored?"

"Would you like me to talk slower and use less syllables?"

She nudged him on his side with her foot. "No. I just don't understand why you can't go be bored somewhere else?"

"There's just something about the state of Utah drawing me here at the moment." He grinned at her. She eyed him irritably and turned to face the television. Her eyes glazed over some cartoon that was blaring, not really paying attention. She thought for a moment.

"I don't think bored is the right word to use."

"What word would you prefer I have used?"

"Lonely."

Kai paused. He placed his plate on the table and stared at the television, not making eye contact.

"Why would think that?"

"I mean, think about it: You've been imprisoned here in solitary confinement for eighteen years. It's understandable that you'd want to cling to only other person here."

"Nice analysis, Doc." He scoffed. "You sound like my mother. Always trying to psychoanalyze everything I do." He took a bite of his sandwich. "Wanna tell me what else you think is wrong with me?"

"We don't have enough time in the world." She briefly thought of what his mother must have been like. There wasn't much mention of her in Jo's journals, apart from the occasional teen vs. parent dispute.

Kai laughed, either at something on the TV or at what she had just said. Bonnie wasn't sure since he hadn't looked in her direction.

"That's not true. We have an eternity to get to know each other, Bon. Well, that's not entirely true either. We have until however long it takes us to locate another source of magic."

Bonnie didn't respond. Her mind was focused on where he could have put the ascendant. Knowing him, he more than likely had it on him in his pocket or in his bag. Which would make it all the more difficult to get her hands on it. She was inwardly starting to become frustrated.

Her mind snapped back to reality when Kai got up to put his dishes in the sink and disappeared behind the stairwell. She heard a door open and close and when he returned he had two blankets in his hand. He returned to his spot on the couch and extended one to her.

She took it hesitantly, setting it in a folded square on top of her lap. She would have been suspicious as to how he knew his way around the house so well until she quickly remembered that he had been stalking her for the past three weeks. She watched him intently as he covered himself in one of the blankets and put his feet on the coffee table once again. Bonnie's inner "mom" was becoming vexed.

"Excuse me, I just cleaned that."

"Eh, I can just take care of it later. Any request?" He asked flipping through the channels once more.

"No. And good luck finding anything on there that you haven't seen a billion times."

"Tell me about it. I've already watched every episode of _Hey Arnold!_ , _Rocko's Modern Life_ , _The Simpsons_ , -"

"And those are all cartoons."

"Whats wrong with cartoons?"

"Nothing, it's just a little juvenile."

"Oh what? Like you never watched cartoons?"

"I did when I was ten. Then I did this thing called maturing. You should try it sometime." She said with a fake smile.

"I'll have you know I can be very mature...when the time calls for it. And if we're using television shows as an indication of maturity, I've seen _Seinfeld_ , _The X-Files_ , _Baywatch_."

"Why am I not surprised that you liked _Baywatch_? Besides, you haven't even named the best shows."

"Name 'em."

" _Boy Meets World_ , _Saved By The Bell_ , _The Nanny_."

"All boring."

"I'm sorry, did they have too much substance for you?"

"I resent that. _Baywatch_ had plenty of substance for me."

Bonnie caught herself mid-chuckle, suddenly hyper aware of the fact that she was laughing at something Kai said. She fiddled with her fingers and kept talking.

"What about _The Cosby Show_?"

"Meh." He waved his hand in a back and forth, so-so gesture.

"What?! Everyone loved _The Cosby Show_. It's a classic.

"Everyone but me apparently. Lemme guess, you probably liked _Beverly Hills, 90210_ too right?

"Sure did." She said proudly.

" _The Fresh Prince_?"

"Duh, who didn't like it? _Full House?_ "

"Nah, too cheesy."

"All eighties shows were cheesy."

"True."

"Did a show called _Are You Afraid of the Dark?_ exist or am I imagining things?"

"No, it was real." He snickered. "It used to scare the crap out of Austin and Katie." He added, "My youngest siblings." at the sight of her confused expression. She noticed he had never said their names before. The show _Family Guy_ came to mind as a show she knew he would like. She decided to stay quiet and let the subject go as she didn't want him to get the wrong idea about her bringing up anything about the present.

Kai sighed as he mindlessly flipped through the channels. "Since nothing interesting appears to be on TV at the moment, we could watch a movie."

"Fine with me."

He dropped the remote and disappeared up the stairs once more. She brought her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her head on her knees. What in the hell was she doing? Fraternizing with the enemy and wasting time is what! Her goal should be locating the ascendant at all times! Yet she's here debating popular 90s sitcoms with a psycho! Bonnie was shook as to how long they had been sitting there, chit chatting like old pals. She was even more disturbed by how easy it was to do so with him. She even found herself laughing. _Well it is a known fact that sociopaths are manipulative_ , she thought matter-of-factly. _so I can't beat myself up too much over that._ She knew deep down that that was just her mind's attempt of trying to ease her lapse in judgement.

She wanted nothing more than to tear through his bag that sat on the opposite end of the couch. But she knew it would be too risky. He could be back down those steps any minute now. She turned the volume down on the TV so she would be able to hear him should he emerge sooner than she hoped. Her eyes were glued to the grey duffle bag. She caught herself slowly inching forward, arm extended as if to grab hold of it. Until she heard footsteps galloping downward. She jerked her arm back to her side and forced her bottom back on the couch.

"So I found more than enough films." He was carrying a large brown box full of VHS tapes. On top of them was something grey. He stood in front of the TV and placed the box on the table. "There's some action films, romances, a couple of westerns. I even found this!" He pulled out a gaming console. "Super Nintendo! Found it in the kid's room. Gah, I used to play this with my brother Joey all the time." He gushed. "And look, just the right amount of controllers." He pulled out two controllers and handed her one.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna skip the games." She said getting up from the couch.

"Aw, so soon? But I just got here." To her surprise, he genuinely sounded disappointed.

"You'll live. I honestly didn't get enough time to sleep." Which wasn't a total lie. She had gotten up early in order to make her breakfast, go for a run, come back and shower but her schedule didn't go quite as planned.

"Suit yourself." He shrugged and flopped back into the couch, throwing the second controller into the box. Bonnie left her blanket on her side of the couch and made her way for the stairwell. She eyed the back of his head and the bags next to him all the way up.

She got back to the master bedroom and locked the door, leaning heavily against it. Her head was whirling. _So that's it? He's just going to be staying here now?_ Every fiber of her being was screaming at what an awful notion it was. But in all seriousness, what was she to do? Kick him out? Simply tell him, "Kai, I don't want you living here." She could only imagine the dismissive reaction he would have. He would laugh in her face, literally, and then proceed to doing whatever the hell he wants. And running away was out of the question. She had already established that impossible notion earlier. Her mind was becoming numb. She was tired of being in this mental state. Always on edge, always calculating her next move. She needed to do something to calm her nerves.

She lifted her weight off of the door and opened it, heading toward the bathroom down the hall, pasts the children's rooms. The animated sounds of video games filled her ears faintly. She stopped to get the little rocking chair out of the little girl's room. She commonly used to barricade herself inside the bathroom when Kai was spying on her. She made sure to lock the bathroom door as well and placed the chair against the knob for good measure. She hastily stripped down, turned the shower on, allowing the water to get as hot as it possibly could without scalding her. She stepped inside and was instantly soothed. She let the hot water drench her face, hair and every inch of her body. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

How did she wind up in this predicament? All she wanted was to save her friends. She had sacrificed her happiness and her own life for the sake of her friends for the umpteenth time. This sacrifice like many others, had got her killed. And now look where it got her. Stuck in a prison world with a lunatic. Sent to an alternate dimension with Damon no less. She wondered for a moment how he was doing. How they were all doing. Elena, Caroline, Stefan, Matt, even Jeremy. Her throat clogged up at the thought of him. Did he miss her? Did he even know she was gone? Would he or any of them do anything to try to get her back?

She sighed and mentally dropped the subject. That victim mentality won't do her any good now. She needed to stay focused. And that's when it hit her. Kai's intended "punishment" for her. He wanted her to stay constantly on edge and to never have a good night's sleep. He knows that his presence alone causes her anxiety. It was psychological warfare. She finished showering and wrapped herself in a towel, relishing in the cool air that connected with her inflamed skin. She removed the chair from in front of the door and hurried back to the room before there was any chance of Kai seeing her.

She was agitated at her newest revelation. Once again, Kai had the upper hand. _Well, not entirely_. She changed into tank top and a set of pajama pants for a nap and climbed into bed. She lay facing the balcony. The sky outside of the window dimmed for a few minutes, then brightened back up again. Based off that, she knew it was noon. She hadn't planned on taking a nap that day but after the twist of events and seeing how the shower truly did wonders to ease her mind, she would be grateful for a nap. She glanced back at the door, making sure it was locked, then closed her eyes, wanting to take a break from thinking for a while.

When she woke, the sun was setting. She didn't mean to sleep that long. Nor did she know she had been that tired. The good news was that she felt well rested. She sat up in the bed and stretched, twinkling her fingers and toes as she did so. She reached for her throat, seeing as it was as dry as a dessert and ached for a glass of water. Her mind flashed to an image of the kitchen until reality hit her like a ton of bricks. Kai was there. He was downstairs and he was living with her. She immediately threw the blankets off of her and rushed to the door, yanking it open an sprinting down the steps.

It was true. It wasn't a dream. He was in the same spot she left him in. She saw the back of his head and one foot swaying back and forth atop of the coffee table. He was holding one of the controllers while a video game was blaring on the TV. She took note of both of the bags that were by his side were gone.

"Ah, she lives." He commented without turning around. "I was beginning to worry about you, Sleeping Beauty."

This just wouldn't do. Lonely or not, he was still a pest. A pest that needed to be controlled. She may not be able to kick him out but she was going to put her foot down. She proceeded down the rest of the steps to stand in front of him and shoved his foot off the table for the umpteenth time that day. "Ok, if you're going to be staying here, infiltrating on my life without my say in the matter, we need to establish some ground rules." Kai, shocked at her abruptness, paused the game to eye her mockingly. "First off, that TV is way too loud for when I'm trying to sleep. Keep it at a reasonable volume please; Keep your filthy feet off the furniture; You _will_ help around the house with any and all chores; And there is a bathroom and a couch down here. There is no reason, whatsoever, that you would will ever need to be upstairs. You will be staying downstairs at all times. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." He said smugly and unpaused the game. A delicious aroma engulfed her olfactory system, ceasing her rant. "You cooked?" She pointed towards the kitchen.

"Yep." He never took his eyes off the TV. "Hope you like lasagna."

She went to examine what he had made. Lasagna, steamed vegetables and garlic bread. Her stomach began to growl at the sight. Bonnie became instantly annoyed at her body's betrayal. She took a fork and took a sampling bite. _Dammit, it's actually good._ She reluctantly fixed herself a plate all the while eyeing him suspiciously. She didn't want to look at him any longer than she had to. She would find something to keep herself occupied upstairs before she sat down there and played video games with the enemy. She poured herself a glass of wine and headed back towards the stairs.

"Leaving so soon?" He called not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Yeah, something downstairs is repelling me from the living room." She heard him chuckle as she vanished up the stairs for the rest of the night.


	7. Mundane

Bonnie managed to keep busy by reading all night. She figured a little escapism wouldn't hurt. Judging by the types of books she found, this was home to a very sophisticated family. She jumped between novels such as _The Catcher in the Rye_ , _Pride and Prejudice_ and _The Canterbury Tales._ To her pleasant yet shocking surprise, Kai had been quiet most of the night. Too quiet. Quiet enough to raise suspension from Bonnie. She couldn't hear the TV from the master bedroom, nor make out any other sounds. She wondered briefly what he was doing or if he was asleep. A part of her wanted to go downstairs to check but she thought it would be best to stay put. She knew she would be forced to speak to him if he was awake.

She threw the book she was reading down to the end of the bed and slammed down backwards onto the massive pillows with her arms outstretched. She huffed out a sigh. She wasn't particularly tired due to her nap earlier, she just wanted to make sure she was awake before him. She had to have the upper hand somehow. She rolled onto her side and forced her eyes shut.

Her body jerked awake and she inhaled a mouthful of chilling air. Her eyes shot open and she squinted at the sunlight. It was very early in the morning. She slowly sat up and threw a hand up to her forehead, which was covered in sweat. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest. The feeling of anxiety was overwhelming. She could barely sleep. She hated living like this. She hated _him_. She still couldn't detect what was taking place downstairs. She threw the covers off of her, grabbed her housecoat off the door and charged downstairs.

She reached the bottom of the steps and her eyes automatically darted towards the couch. He wasn't there. The TV was on and the blankets were folded on one end of the couch. The gaming console and it's controls were placed neatly in front of the fireplace. She folded her housecoat across her chest and stepped forward into the kitchen.

"Morning, roomie!" Kai said cheerfully. "You woke up just in time for breakfast. How do you feel able french toast?"

Bonnie didn't respond as she came to a stop at the island. She knew she was doomed to repeat the same day, but did she have to repeat the day Kai almost killed her? Her head was whirling and she grabbed onto the counter.

"Hey now, I know my cooking can't be that bad. You haven't even tasted it yet. You alright?"

"I'm fine." She rested her head in her hands. "How long have you been up?" She began to rub her temple.

"Not long. Which is good news for you since I just started cooking."

 _Does he wake up this early everyday? Geez, how am I supposed to keep an eye on him if he's up before the birds?_

He turned towards the stove, his back was facing her. "Sleep well?"

"I've had better nights."

"That's unfortunate." He turned back around towards the island and placed two slices of french toast onto two plates. "It wasn't because of me was it?"

"No." She sat on a stool. "The volume was at a reasonable level, surprisingly."

"So what was it? A bad dream?"

"Yeah. It was a nightmare."

"About?"

"About being trapped with a lunatic in a prison world."

"Having dreams about me already?" He shrugged and turned back around to face the stove. "Well, I tend to have that effect on women."

"Not this one." She said vehemently.

He turned back around to set a delicious looking omelette on one plate. "I figured I owed you that omelette you never got to eat."

Bonnie eyed it suspiciously. "Thanks." She said dryly. _Why would he have remembered that?_

He added another omelette to the second plate and proceeded to throw the dirty dishes into the sink. He slid on his socks over to the fridge, grabbed cups out of the cabinet and poured them each a glass of milk. He then picked up the two plates. "C'mon." And made his way to the dining table. Bonnie grabbed the two glasses and followed. They could see the sun was rising over the mountains outside of the glass door. "God that's a beautiful sight. You really outdid yourself with this place, Bon." He put the plates adjacent to each other.

"What made you pick it?" He asked taking a bite of his omelette.

"Well it was the first place I came across when I was running away from you."

"Maybe I should chase you more often."

"That won't be necessary." She took a bite of her food and had to hide her gut reaction. _God, this is good. The bastard._ She ate without making eye contact.

That didn't stop him from staring at her.

"You like?"

Bonnie scoffed. "It's ok."

"She said as she takes another bite. And what do you mean, 'Ok'? My cooking's marvelous. I've had years of practice, literally."

"Doesn't mean it's the best there is." She teased. "I've had better."

"From who?"

"Myself."

"Yeah right."

"Hey, don't test me, ok. I know my way around the kitchen. I can make a mean chicken parmesan."

"Well we'll have to see about that sometime then won't we?"

"I don't see why not. What did you do all night anyway?"

"Mainly played video games. Watched a little TV, read a bit, played board games, solved some puzzles-"

"You did all of that within a few of hours?"

"I have a restless mind. I like to keep myself entertained as much as possible."

"I see."

"So what did you do last night Bon Bon?" He put his elbows on the table. "You couldn't have been too tired since you took a nap in the middle of the day."

"Ok, first off, stop with the nicknames. Nicknames are reserved for friends, something you and I will never be. And I read, if you must know."

He stopped eating to give her a mock hurt expression. "I'm genuinely hurt by that, Bon. You think that by the end of all this we won't at least be friends? Maybe even something more?"

"Absolutely not."

"To which scenario?"

"Both."

"Oh c'mon. We're the only two people on earth. We're bound to grow closer." He smirked at her and leaned in. "More intimate. You said so yourself."

Bonnie recoiled away in her seat. "No, I was justifying the reason behind _your_ clinginess. Not mine. "

"So you admit that you're clingy?

"I'll admit that you're annoying."

"Oh but that's how it always starts. Love stories I mean. At least the majority of the one's I've read. Boy likes girl. Girl hates boy. Boy slowly but surely begins to grow on girl. Girl falls in love. They live happily ever after."

"You read love stories?"

"A plethora, actually. For intellectual purposes of course."

"Oh of course. What does someone like you know about love anyway?"

Kai paused mid chew to think about his response. "Based on what I've read and witnessed, I know that love consumes the people that feel it. It overwhelms them and drives them to do things that they normally wouldn't do under it's influence. It clouds their judgement and reduces them to mere idiots. It is for that reason that I'm glad that I'm not burdened by it."

Bonnie simply stared at him.

"What? Not the response you were expecting?"

"Love does not 'reduce people to idiots.' In fact, it does the opposite. It brings out the best in people. Wouldn't expect you to know much about that since you have no good qualities to bring out."

"Aww, you've been in love before haven't you, Bon?"

"That's none of your business." She snapped back despite the warmth in her cheeks beginning to rise.

"No need to get touchy, that's just what I've observed. And I have plenty of good qualities. I'm sophisticated, somewhat, charming, hilarious, witty, cunning-"

"I get it. You're a perfect ten!"

"Glad you think so."

She shook her head and looked down at her plate which was half empty. She hadn't noticed that she had stopped eating.

"Finished?"

She nodded and Kai stood up with his plate in hand she held up her own for him to take.

Uh oh. It was happening again. How was Kai able to get her to talk so easily? If anyone had the gift of gab, he did and it was at full force. More importantly, she didn't like it. He came back into the living room and sat on the arm of on the couch. He pulled a Rubik's Cube out of his pocket and began to tinker with it.

"So, what's on the agenda for today, roomie?"

Bonnie rose from the table. "Well for starters, you're going to stop calling me 'roomie'. And I don't know about you, but I'm about to go for a run."

"Ooo, good idea! I'll go change."

"Alone." She said and hurried up the stairs before he could protest.

* * *

When Bonnie got back she ran straight upstairs to shower. She dusted the master bedroom and the two children's rooms. She also vacuumed even though there was no real dirt that accumulated. She began to do anything to refrain from going downstairs. She even went as far as to rearrange items in the bathroom. She stood in the middle of the hallway to examine her work. She peeped into the kids' rooms for a second to see if Kai had tampered with anything. There was no sign of his bags or the ascendant for that matter.

 _What else can I do?_ She knew the honest answer to that was nothing. The second floor was spotless, which didn't really matter as the day would reset and everything would be back in it's original place on that date regardless of what she did. She knew her tactic to keep busy in order to avoid him was futile. She couldn't stay upstairs forever. She paused to listen for any movement downstairs. Again she heard nothing. She sighed and hung her head, knowing she would have to eventually do the unavoidable, and went down the steps.

To her surprise, Kai was reading. He was pacing between the fairplace and the coffee table with a book in one hand and the Rubik's Cube in the other. Bonnie wondered what sort of books intrigued him.

"Finally come down to join me?" He asked not looking up from the pages.

"I actually came down to do some cleaning." She made a beeline for the restroom.

"Well pardon me."

She dipped below the counter and pulled out gloves and cleaning supplies and started on the counter top.

"You know there's no need for that, right?" She looked up into the mirror and could see him leaning on the door frame, book and Rubik's Cube still in hand.

"Everything will just reset."

"I know." She said still scrubbing. "I just wanted something to do."

"Well you could spend some quality time with your lovely house guest." He opened his arms to indicate himself. "Besides, haven't you heard that it's rude to ignore your company? You're not being a very good host, Bon Bon."

"What did I say about nicknames?" She glared at him through the mirror and scrubbed harder for emphasis. "And I'm not obligated to host and entertain a house guest that forced himself into the house to begin with."

Kai hung his head. "Look, you and I are gonna be stuck here for, who knows how long. All we have is each other. I just wanna make the best of it."

Bonnie didn't know what to make of his statement. His tone sounded somber but she kept in mind who it was coming from.

"Plus, you can't avoid me forever. Only two people here and all." His usual flippant tone had returned. "C'mon, I'm sure we can find something to do."

Her arms gradually began to slow down the pace of her scrubbing until they finally came to a complete stop. She irritably gawked at her reflection and slunk her shoulders. He was right. There was only so much she could do to keep busy in the house and she was all out of ideas. She stubbornly continued to lightly clean the restroom despite it not being that dirty to begin with.

Once she emerged, she saw him reaching for the box of video games.

"What is it with guys and video games?"

"They keep my mind occupied. Plus they're just fun. Wanna play?" He asked waving a controler around. "I've gone through just about every single-player game."

She thought for a moment. Honestly, what else did she have to do? She couldn't avoid him forever. She sat on one end of the couch and Kai handed her a controller.

"First place, called it."

"It's all yours."

He placed the console on the coffee table and grabbed the end of her controller and inserted it. He then took his place on the couch and set the box in between them. He began rummaging through it.

"Hmm, they don't have anything too gripping. Granted, the kids look as if they were about ten. Oh, what about this one?" He turned to hand her a cartridge.

Bonnie examined it. " _Jurassic Park_?"

"Yeah?"

"I liked the movie, don't know how I'd feel about it as a game."

"Fine. What about this?" He handed her another one.

" _DinoCity_? I'm sensing a theme here."

"I had a thing for dinosaurs as a kid. And apparently so did the kid who lived here." He pulled out another one. "Oh _Final Fantasy_! Doesn't seem like it'd be your thing but you gotta play it at least once."

He delved deeper into the box before pulling out a game and exclaiming, "Perfect! I'm sure this one's two player."

He got up and inserted the cartridge into the console. _Mario Kart_ appeared on the screen and Bonnie hated to admit it but she got somewhat excited. The nostalgia hit her harder than she anticipated.

"I haven't played this in years!"

"I know, it's a classic. Tag team or versus.?"

"Versus."

"Whoa, wait," he interjected theatrically, "who said you could be Mario?"

"Uh, I did. He's the best character, why would I want to be anyone else?"

"Exactly. And I'm player numero uno, so be Princess Peach or something."

"Why? Because I'm a girl?"

"Precisely."

"Tough luck. Be Luigi."

"Luigi, seriously?! You want me to be the off-brand Mario? I'll pass."

 _Ok, that was pretty funny._ She couldn't help but giggle. "He is not the off-brand Mario. What about Bowser?"

Kai shook his head. "Too slow. I guess Toad will have to do for now."

"You know the character you choose doesn't actually matter. It's all about the skill of the player."

"True. I have no shortage of skill so, this should be easy." He sat resting his elbows on his knees.

"Don't get too cocky."

"Oh but I have every reason to be." He gave her a winning smile which earned him an eye roll.

* * *

"Stop running me off the road!" She laughed.

"Wouldn't have to if you didn't keep bumping into me!"

The round ended and Bonnie's character illuminated the screen.

"Ha! That's the seventh round I've won."

"He grinned. Not bad, Bennett." He waved his hand dismissively. "But I'm only one round behind and I've got all night to catch up. Don't get too comfortable."

It hadn't occurred to her that it was nighttime. "What time is it?"

Kai flicked his wrist and checked his watch. "8:15."

"Oh my god." She said under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just," _How the hell did it get so late without me noticing?_ "Are you hungry? I'm hungry. I should make dinner." She hastily got up from the couch and power walked to the kitchen, leaving Kai on the couch bewildered.

She began pulling out random ingredients, having no clue as to what she wanted to eat. She fumbled with a package of dried pasta. _Damn, him._ She turned the stove on and filled a giant silver pot with water and placed it on the heating eye.

"Whatcha making?" She heard from behind her. He had some into the kitchen.

She didn't turn around. "Shrimp pasta."

"Sounds good. That sense of hunger came on rather abruptly."

"Yeah well, gotta eat sometime." She poured the box of pasta into the boiling water.

"Need some help?"

"No!" She almost shouted. She finally turned around to face him. "I'll get it done quicker alone. Just, go back to playing the game. I'll be done soon."

"Okay." He said skeptically. He hopped off the stool and went back to the living room.

She reached into the freezer and pulled out a bag of shrimp. W _hat has Kai done with the ascendent? He doesn't keep his bags in the living room anymore. They aren't even in the kids' rooms._ She boiled the shrimp, seasoned them and drained the pot of pasta. _I have to keep looking. I can't keep getting sidetracked like this. I have to think of something._

She added the shrimp to the pasta and sprinkled basil on top. She made herself a plate and headed upstairs.  
"Dinners ready." She chimed as she entered the living room.

Kai stood up. "You're not gonna have dinner with me?" His asked, arms outstretched with a controller in hand.

"Not tonight." She ascended the stairs.

"Or any other night, apparently."


	8. Wicked, Tricksy, False

**Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much! I greatly appreciate your reviews, story favorites and follows; They're like mini Christmas presents to me. I'm also thankful for you silent readers as well. I'm home for summer break at the moment so I should be able to update more frequently. Enjoy Bonkai Family!**

* * *

"Keep up, slow poke!" Kai called from uphill.

"Don't rush me. I'm not that far behind."

They had risen early to go for a morning jog. More specifically, Kai had suggested it and Bonnie thought it would be best to go with him in order to keep an eye on him. He was a few feet ahead of her and far too overconfident in his ability to outrun her. Although, she had to admit that he was faster than she had anticipated. She looked up at him, his back to her, as she gradually reached the top of the hill. She didn't know why she had underestimated him in the first place. He had the perfect swimmer's body: tall and lean yet slightly muscular. Which was currently clothed in a hoodie, jogging pants and sneakers. It shouldn't have come as a surprise to her that he would be a fast runner.

He stopped on top of the rocky hill and bounced from toe to toe. "Wanna keep going?"

"I'm just getting started."

He paused to stretch his arms and eyed her up and down. "You're pretty fast for a pipsqueak."

"You're not so bad yourself, string bean."

He looked off into the distance. "First one to the lake-"

Bonnie took off before he could finish his sentence. She didn't look back because she knew it would slow her down. She could hear his footsteps rapidly approaching. She could feel the rock under her feet slowly evolve into soft grass as she briskly got closer to the lake. She was almost there when the arm of Kai's sweatshirt came into her periphery.

"First!" They shouted simultaneously.

She rounded on him. "No you're not, I am."

"Yeah, cheating doesn't count." He came to a stop, resting his hands on his hips.

"I didn't cheat. I just...got a head start."

He wagged his index finger at her, accompanied by a cheeky grin. "I'm starting to like the way you think, Bon."

"What did I say about calling me that?"

"Damon called you that. You didn't seem to have a problem when he did it." Bonnie's expression changed to something dark and he smiled, knowing he had struck a nerve with her and stepped closer. "What was he to you anyway? Your boyfriend?"

Bonnie felt heat rising in her chest. Who the hell does he think he is?

"Well if you must know, Damon wasn't my boyfriend. He was one of my best friends who earned the right to address me by nickname. He's ten times the man you will ever be and you will not disrespect him in my presence."

Kai raised his hands to indicate his surrender, accompanied by his signature smirk. "Down girl, I meant no offence." He circled around her until her back was facing the lake. "It's just that you two seemed pretty close to be 'just friends'." He used air quotations. Bonnie stepped backwards until she felt water at the heel of her sneakers. "Your relationship was fascinating to me. You'd bicker relentlessly and yet, you'd always come back to each other. Like magnets. It never failed. It was like clockwork. But I guess that's just how you two show your love." He wore a mock expression of endearment.

"I'm not surprised that a relationship of any kind would intrigue you. You of all people couldn't have possibly ever experienced a real genuine connection with another human being."

"Oh, you'd be surprised. I'm just curious as to what your actual boyfriend would have thought with you being trapped here with another guy for so long. Well two now, considering myself." He stepped closer. "Did you even have a boyfriend before you got stuck here? Ever had a boyfriend at all?"

Her mind's eye flew to Jeremy but Kai of all people didn't need to know that. And just what the hell was he insinuating? That she wasn't attractive enough to appeal to men? Meanwhile, she distinctly remembered him blatantly hitting on her the first time they met. She had been attempting to locate the ascendant when Kai came in close, just as he did now and mentioned something about his siblings. She couldn't recall at the moment what his exact words were, but she knew he had openly flirted with her in front of Damon with no shame. How dare him? Who was this monster to dictate beauty standards? The freak. He'd probably never even been intimate with a girl in his life. He wouldn't know how to be.

And why was he standing so close? She could smell the woodsy scent radiating off his body just as she did the night she used the cloaking spell. Bonnie instinctively retreated backwards and placed her hands on his upper arm, shoving him backwards as she moved forward. She heard him yelp and the splash of water behind her. She turned to face him. She saw him slowly get to his feet in the shallow water. He harbored an amused expression. He cocked his head to the side and Bonnie heard an audible cracking noise. He flung his hands to dry them.

"If I did, it's no business of yours." She said proudly before turning on her heel and jogging back towards the house.

* * *

When they arrived back at the house, Bonnie went towards the kitchen and saw Kai hurry into the bathroom downstairs. She leaned over the faucet to pour herself a glass of water. She gulped down half of the glass and leaned against the counter. When Kai emerged, he had on a different set of clothes and carried the wet garments in hand. He made his way to the laundry room behind the stairwell, threw them in a basket and shut the door. He was now headed towards the front door.

"Where do you think you're going?" She asked folding her arms.

"Out."

"Oh no, you're not leaving me to do the laundry, it's your turn. I did it last time."

"I'll get to it when I get back. I know it'll be hard but, try not to miss me." He winked while making a clicking noise with his teeth and he was gone.

She had no idea what he was up to and quite frankly, it made her apprehensive. The whole point of the roommate agreement was that she would be able to keep a close eye on him at all times. Well, truthfully, as much as she possibly could given that her other goal was to avoid him the same amount. How many times a day did he just decide to up and leave? To meander around the world, doing God knows what? More importantly, why? She wondered how many times he had done so without her knowledge. She thought back to the first few nights he had stayed with her. Had he left when it appeared to be so quiet downstairs? The thought alone made her jittery. Or maybe she was overreacting and he simply needed a break from her as she did from him. Whatever the reason, she had to admit that she was thankful for this intermission, even if it was a minor one. She wasn't in the mood to do much talking after what had just transpired. She hated that he could get her worked up so easily.

She took another gulp of water and noticed that her head was throbbing. She plopped down on the sofa, outstretched her legs and turned on the TV. She was comfortable for a couple of hours, watching nothing in particular and simply enjoying the quiet solitude. Then the realization hit her that Kai could return any minute. She sighed, turned off the TV.

A good book and a warm cup of tea sounded delightful at the moment. She made herself a cup and headed upstairs.

More hours of silence passed until it was almost nightfall. Bonnie sat outside at the small white table for two on the balcony reading and could see the sun setting behind the mountain. There was still no sign of Kai. She shifted in her seat. She didn't like the effect his prolonged absence was having on her. She didn't like that she had noticed his absence at all. What could he possibly be doing that would take so long? More importantly, why did she care?

With Kai having been there with her so long, she had forgotten the overwhelming sense of loneliness that came along with being trapped here. There were times she recalled going to the mall alone and picking up items she knew Elena, Caroline and herself would die over. But neither of them were there to indulge in that experience with her. She missed her two best friends dearly. She knew they must of missed her just as much. She took her sleeve and wiped away a tear that was rapidly forming in the corner of her eye.

Even though the thought had crossed her mind, she wouldn't dare say it out loud. She knew it was normal for people to become attached to one another but there was no way in hell she'd ever come to terms with the possibility that she might actually _miss_ Malachai Parker. She turned her focus back to her book.

 _Although, there could be worse things_ , her mind interjected. _He could have found another source of magic and left you here to die all alone._ Her stomach sank at the thought and she slammed the book down on the table to mute her malicious thoughts. She shot straight up out of the chair and began to pace on the balcony. This was the part about being left alone that she hated the most. Many obstacles could be outrun but there was no escaping the mind and its bitter truths.

Just then, the sound of the front door opening broke the deafening silence. She stiffened at the realization of what was happening. She had to put forth effort into not displaying how excited she truly felt. She was ashamed at her reaction. Nonetheless, she bolted downstairs and slowed down the closer she got to the bottom.

She saw Kai juggling multiple board games in his hand.

"We got _Shoots and Ladders_ , _Checkers_ , but you seem like more of a _Chess_ person."

"Where have you been?" She blurted out before she could stop herself.

"You're clinginess is showing." He sang playfully.

Bonnie huffed and shook her head. "There's just no winning with you, is there?"

"There's a possibility of you winning if you play one of these games with me." His smile was a bit too friendly coming from him.

She came off the steps and stood in front of him, arms folded. "Ok. I'll play a game with you, _if_ you tell me where you've been."

"Are we really keeping tabs on each other now?"

"Kai!"

"Fine! I was at the bar."

"For six hours?"

"So I stopped at a few stores along the way." He nodded to the multiple bags in front of the fireplace. "I needed some new clothes."

Now that he mentioned it, he did smell faintly of beer. Bonnie felt heat rising in her cheeks. His explanation was logical enough. He just needed some time away and she had let her emotions get the best of her. She looked off to the side, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh." Was all she said.

"Aww, you really did miss me."

"Let's just pick a game, okay."

She snatched one of the boxes out of his hand without really looking to see what it was.

"Ooo, I love _Scrabble_."

He cleared the coffee table while she set up the board. They sat on either side.

"Ladies first." He gestured towards her and covered up the Free Space.

Bonnie thought she'd start off with something simple. She smiled to herself and placed her letters horizontally.

M-O-R-O-N

Kai chucked at her word of choice.

He then proceeded to spell out P-R-U-D-E vertically.

"That's eight points for me." He proclaimed.

Bonnie kept a tally on the notepad and spelled out V-I-L-E

"And fourteen for me." She said proudly.

Kai wrote I-N-T-E-N-S-E under vile.

Bonnie spelled N-U-I-S-A-N-C-E next to intense

Kai's next word sent a jolt down her spine: P-R-E-T-T-Y

Her eyes darted up to see that ever reliable smirk of his. "Hey, you started it."

She broke eye contact and hastily wrote down the score. Her next word was: D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-E

Kai laughed out loud at that. "It was worth a shot."

Many insults later, forty-five minutes had passed and they had played two rounds. "Not bad Bennett, but the king with the gift of gab takes the cake." He held up two fingers. "Twice."

Bonnie rolled her eyes but didn't feel disappointed with herself. She had given it her best shot. "Oh well." She began to put the game board away when she saw Kai grab another board.

"Feel up for some Chess?"

"Some other time." She got up and stacked the games neatly on the dining table.

"Sore loser." She heard him call and gave him the evil eye over her shoulder.

"I am not."

She came back over to the couch and her stomach began to rumble. She clutched it, feeling embarrassed.

"Hungry?"

"Obviously."

"Whatcha in the mood for?" He got up from the floor and headed towards the kitchen.

"Anything good."

"How does Baked Ziti sound?"

"Fancy."

She would never admit this to him, she didn't want to further inflate his ego but his cooking was delectable and this night was no exception. He had brought her plate over to her on the couch and they ate while watching TV. The sweet tea he made only aided in the deliciousness. She wondered briefly why she had never tried Baked Ziti before.

"Glad you like it." She could hear the smile on his lips as he spoke.

She didn't respond but only continued to stuff her face. Once she finished eating she could fully focus on what she was watching.

Kai had finally found a film for them to watch and stopped flipping through the channels. A little less than an hour had passed and Bonnie noticed that she had to squint to see the TV. Her vision was becoming blurry. She sat up straighter and attempted to focus. She knew that she hadn't slept in a while but she shouldn't be this tired. Not only was she becoming increasingly sleepy, she felt cold. The chill started in the palms of her hands and slowly crept throughout the rest of her body. She crossed her legs on the sofa and brought her arms around her torso, wrapping herself in like a cocoon. Minutes later, the dizziness worsened.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, just, feeling a little woozy." She tried to grab onto the arm of the sofa to sit upright but she noticed her grip was slack.

"That might be due to the amount of painkillers I gave you."

Bonnie could barely gasp at his words. Her heart rate increased dramatically; it thudded so loudly that she was sure he would be able to hear it if he listened hard enough. She let out a slow intake of breath as she clutched her head with both hands and glared at him.

"Sleep tight, Bon."

His cold expression was the last thing she saw before her head rolled backwards on the cushion of the couch and completely blacked out.


	9. Resolve

Bonnie could feel herself moving. Or being moved rather, as she wasn't putting forth any effort to move herself. Sound slowly drifted to her ears. She heard a faint rhythm, accompanied by a male's voice that seemed to be performing a musical number. She opened her eyes to see everything encased in darkness: her jeans, the dashboard and outside of the window.

"Oh good, you're awake. Nice to have you back in the land of the living. Well, don't know if you could consider _this_ the actual 'land of the living', but, you get the point." Kai spoke facing the road, with one hand on the steering wheel.

Bonnie was hardly listening. She clutched her head with her right hand and pushed herself upward in the seat with the other. Her vision had stabilized and she was no longer dizzy, but slightly lightheaded.

"You poisoned me." She put as much malice in the statement as she could muster, but to her dismay, it came out as a low croak.

"Technically, all I did was give you an excessive amount of painkillers. I didn't actually tamper with them. Now _that_ would be poisoning you. Besides, you were only out for a couple of hours. Note to self, I need to double the dosage in case there's a next time."

"There won't be a next time!" She snapped. "And why -?"

"Well if three painkillers only kept you down for two hours then…"

"Why did you poison me, Kai?" She said more sternly.

"Oh that. Because we had to get a move on. I couldn't locate a single source of magic anywhere in Utah. And how else was I supposed to convince you to leave? Ask?"

"It would have been better than you slipping me painkillers." She spat.

"Bonnie think about it: Would you have willingly packed up and left the state with me to look for another source?"

She knew the answer to that was 'No', without a doubt. As much sense as his logic made at the moment, Bonnie couldn't help but argue that he could have went about it differently.

"I had pretty much covered most of the state the second night I moved in. I checked every nook and cranny to no avail. Last night was to make sure I didn't miss any areas. And now we're here." He sent a bright smile her way.

Bonnie looked outside of the window to see trees blurring past. "Where are we?"

"The Centennial State!" He paused for a moment. "Colorado if you didn't catch the hint."

"I know what the Centennial State is!" She barked.

"Well excuse me." He said mockingly.

So they hadn't gotten too far. They were still surrounded by trees. She was surprised that they hadn't gotten further considering how fast he was driving. She looked down to her chest to see her seat belt snugly wrapped around her torso.

"At least you had the decency to put my seat belt on."

"I can be a gentleman at times."

She saw something lumped in the back seat out of her periphery. She turned to see his and her bags. She gasped, remembering Mrs. Cuddles. She reached back and yanked her bag into her lap, poking inside it frantically.

"No need to worry, I made sure to pack everything."

She let out a sigh of relief at the sight of her old childhood friend, sitting at the bottom of the bag, just as Bonnie had left her. She glanced over to see Kai looking straight ahead. Did he know? He must not. He couldn't. He wasn't in a raging fit nor had he made some snarky, condescending comment about having figured her out. She rubbed her thumb along side the stuffed animal's' ear and she could feel her magic lightly pulsating through her hand. She took her hand out of her bag and proceeded to zip it up.

She gritted her teeth. How stupid had she been? To actually believe for one second that Malachai Parker could be anything but the hellion he was? She watched in disgust as he turned the dial on the radio, in search of a song to play, completely oblivious to her inner berating. Foolish, idiotic, moron, any word synonymous of unintelligent filled her mind. She wanted to kick, scream, to throw an all out tantrum. She was angry at the situation, at him for putting her in the situation to begin with and most importantly, herself.

She had done exactly what she was afraid of doing: let her guard down. She had become complacent. She hated how weak it made her feel. How vulnerable it made her appear to him.

She had to do something. He was going at about seventy-five miles per hour. He could drive as recklessly as he wished, given that it wasn't possible for him to die in this special made to order prison. She, however, was fully susceptible to death in this realm. She tugged at her seat belt to ensure its security.

Kai had finally settled on a station. "Alternative rock, close enough to grunge, I guess. What do you think about -"

Bonnie reached over and yanked the steering wheel in her direction. The night air was filled with the sound of the car skidding off the road. She clutched the door handle as the ground beneath the car shifted from asphalt to grass. Out of her periphery, she saw Kai fighting to regain control of the vehicle to no avail. She heard him grunt as the car collided with a tree with a tremendous force. A force powerful enough to eject both airbags. The hood of the car compressed seconds after impact. The windshield shattered, sending clusters of glass flying back towards them.

The impact lunged their upper bodies forward. Their faces barreled into the polyester fabric. The warmth Bonnie felt on her lips and nose were a sure sign that they were busted, if not fractured.

Bonnie slowly leaned back against the headrest. She timidly reached upward with her hand, her middle finger making contact with blood on her lip. She eyed the viscous, red liquid on her finger before glancing over at Kai who appeared to be knocked out. He sat motionless, with his hands sprawled over his lap and head lolled onto his headrest. A thin line of crimson trickled down the side of his face. Bonnie figured she only had a moment to act. She reached over towards his pants pocket, floundering for a moment until her hand came across a cold, metal object. She retracted her arm, ascendant in hand. She unfastened herself and fumbled with the doorknob, never taking her eyes off Kai's seemingly unconscious figure. She stumbled out of the car, hands and knees connecting with the grass first.

Without a second thought, she darted into the woodland, bag and ascendant in hand. The breeze from the crisp night air soothed the warmth on her face. She could feel the shards of glass peel away from her body as she charged through the forest. Thank Heavens for her twenty-twenty vision; everything in her line of sight was immersed in darkness. She had no idea what time it was. If the sun would soon be rising. Whether it was closer to dusk or dawn.

She prayed that it was the latter of the two. She finally had the ascendant. She was one step closer to going home. As she ducked and dodged boulders and trees, the realization hit her that she had nowhere to go.

 _Just find somewhere to hide until noon._ God knows how long _that_ would be. Kai claimed that he had packed everything. Perhaps he had thought to pack her watch as well. She came to a staggering stop, and threw her bag to the ground, leaning on a tree to catch her breath. She dropped to her knees and began digging through it's contents, she came across her cell phone, which was useless in this situation given that it was dead. She threw it back in the bag, and kept looking. Her hand grazed an elongated, cold object. To her luck, it was a flashlight. She clicked it on, zipped up her bag and threw it over her shoulder. She shoved the ascendant in her pants pocket.

She felt a bit of solace having found some light. Having finally slowed down, the chill of the night air began to seep into her bones. She began to shiver, shining the flashlight in any direction around her. The thin trees appeared to be more elongated than the trees she was used to in her home town. All she could see of them was their silhouette before she shined the light upon them, then upwards towards the night sky. Millions of tiny stars were spread on a sheet of deep purple. If it weren't for the fact that she was being hunted by a sociopath, she would have loved to stop and soak in it's ethereal beauty. It wasn't a sight she had the pleasure of seeing every day, living in the city.

She brought the light of the flashlight back down to her line of sight and headed in that direction, whichever way it may be.

"Gotta start somewhere." She trudged on for what had to be at least thirty minutes before she came to a stop in the middle of even more clusters of trees.

"A compass would be nice right now." However she didn't recall seeing one in the bag. She huffed and pressed onwards.

She turned to check behind her. "Maybe I should have ran back along side the road. There would likely be houses in that direction." She thought for a moment. "Then again, that would have made me an open target for Kai."

She shook her head. "Back to this again, huh?" She had come to a leisurely stroll. "Talking to myself outloud?" She recalled the first few weeks of being imprisoned. She hadn't spoken much back then. Preferring the sound of the television to her own voice. At least that way, there technically were other voices she could listen to so she wouldn't feel too isolated. By the time the third week had rolled around, she had had all sorts of conversations with herself back then. "Hmph, well, I suppose talking to myself is better than the alternative: having to talk to _him_."

She rolled her emerald eyes at the thought of him. "I wonder if he's awakened by now? It's been at least an hour since the crash." She stopped walking. "The car crash -"

Her mind's eye finished the thought for her. Next to letting her guard down with Kai, that had to be the second most dangerous thing she had ever done. Was it impulsive? Yes. Reckless? Obviously. Necessary? Ab-so-fucking-lutely!

The important thing was that she was alive. She had achieved her goal through cockamamie means but it worked nonetheless.

She cocked her head. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

 _Crack!_

Bonnie's body jerked in the direction of the sound. Her flashlight revealed there was nothing there. She gripped the handle so tightly, she could feel her knuckles turning white. She was frozen in place, wondering what in the world she could use to defend herself.

She heard the movement again. The sound of sticks breaking under a person's feet. Kai's feet. She turned on her heel and sprinted deeper into the forest once more. It might have been him or an animal, she wasn't sure. But one thing she was sure of was her body's fight-or-flight response screaming: flight!

The only sound she heard was the sound of her own two feet, frantically scurrying along the grass. She was unable to tell if what or who she heard was following her. The aim of her flashlight darted between her front view and the ground as she clutched it in hand.

A boulder came into view and she quickly took refuge behind it, flicking the flashlight off as she did so. There was nothing but the sound of a nearby river. Her back was facing the cold lump of stone. She held her elbow up to her mouth to silence her ragged breathing.

Each second seemed like a separate a lifetime as she waited. She frantically took in her surroundings on either side of her. She peered behind the boulder to her left, stepping out cautiously. She began to pick up her bag off the ground when two hands took ahold of her shoulders.

Bonnie screamed and flailed as powerful arms encased her neck and torso. One arm was wrapped around her neck, while the other restricted her arms to her sides. Her back was pulled flush against him. He was panting, almost as give out as she was from running.

"Ya know Bonnie," his breath was hot against her ear. "The way you run and hide from me makes me think you _like_ to be chased."

Bonnie squirmed at his words, struggling to free herself to no avail. "And as much as I like this little cat and mouse game we got going on, it's getting old." He tightened his grip around her throat for further emphasis. "And I tend to get bored easily. So for both of our sakes, I say it's time to play a new game. And in order to play it, we'll need…" His right arm released her torso, and he traced his index finger ever so slowly along the curvature of her waist and hips, finally diving into the front pocket of her jeans. Bonnie was disgusted at herself due to the shiver that wracked her body at his touch.

He gasped. "There it is," he pulled out the ascendant and held it up for her to see. "This little gadget that's the sole cause of all this commotion."

Bonnie was now able to clutch onto his elbow around her neck.

"What do you say? It's a two player ga-"

In one swift motion, Bonnie had thrust her head backwards, colliding sharply with Kai's nose.

"Ahh!" He shouted and instinctively reached for his nose, letting her go in the process.

She stood before him and watched as he attempted to collect himself. "I am not running from you any longer!" She said each word deliberately and with conviction. "This game ends tonight, Malachai!" She hadn't seen him face-to-face since the car incident. He had cuts and scratches along his face, as she was sure she must have as well. His lip was busted and his clothes were somewhat tattered; Presumably from scouring through the forest to look for her.

Kai wiped the blood off his nose and snickered. "My father was right about that Bennett fire." He nodded to himself more so than her. "At least that was one thing he was honest about."

Bonnie couldn't take it anymore. His smug face every time he _thought_ he would one-up her. If only he knew who truly held the upper hand in this situation. She wanted to scream her secret to the empty world they shared. But she knew that wouldn't be wise. This wasn't the right time nor the place.

Her eyes darted down towards the circular object he held in hand. He had once again, unknowingly leveled the playing field.

The rage she felt was overwhelming. She felt a turbulence wracking her body. He had to pay. Right here. Right now. The slap had happened so quickly that she wasn't sure that she had actually raised her hand to commence it.

Bonnie normally wasn't the type to act out of emotion. That was more of an Elena or Caroline feature. But not level-headed, calm, cool and collected, Bonnie Sheila Bennett. Normally she'd be the one to retort with a quick-witted comeback. However, these were not normal circumstances. She had been pushed too far and too long. She was drained, in every way a person could be drained: physically, mentally and emotionally. A verbal lashing simply wouldn't do with this one.

The look on Kai's face was one of disbelief. He was taken aback at her sudden outburst as well. This wasn't a spell she had cast to thwart his devious plans, nor had she outsmarted him in some clever way; which, deep down she was certain that he loathed and took delight in, whether he would admit it or not. This was a slap to the face. A physical assault. Something about it felt more personal, more real and by far, much more offensive. And they both understood that very aspect. Unlike Bonnie's expression of defiance, Kai's face slowly morphed into that menacing look of hatred. A look she had grown accustom to.

Neither of them spoke. They simply stood there facing one another, the sounds of the forest seemed to fade away. Kai slowly stepped closer to her, never wavering his intense gaze, nor did she.

Kai finally broke the silence by saying, "We need to go." He picked up her duffle bag, slung it over his shoulder and sauntered off without another word.

Bonnie knew she was expected to follow suit. She closed her eyes and exhaled, not even aware of the fact that she had been holding her breath. Only to reopen them to find them tear-stained.


	10. Sufferance

She hated crying. Why was she even weeping to begin with? Her behavior would suggest that she was the one on the receiving end of the assault, not Kai. Bonnie took crying as a sign that a change was in order. Any situation that reduced her to tears was not one that she wished to remain in.

This particular situation, however, was not one that was avoidable. So far, all of her escape attempts had been futile. The failure of which were on a constant loop in her mind. No matter how much she attempted to rationalize the events of the past month, five, if she included her time with Damon, she always came to a block in the road. What else was left that she could she possibly do? She swiftly wiped the falling tears from her cheeks and moseyed on the path Kai had taken.

When she had finally caught up to him, she made sure to remain a good distance behind. They were walking along the side of the road for quite some time before the crushed ball of metal that was the car, came into view before them.

Kai hadn't turned around to face her, nor had he spoken since the incident. This was one of the rare occasions when Bonnie actually began to miss his incessant banter. This was the quietest she had ever seen him. And she hated to admit it, but it made her apprehensive. Silence from his type usually meant something sinister was brewing.

Then again, who was she to decipher his behavior? Surely, there were times when he was imprisoned here, all by his lonesome, where he kept quiet for a significant amount of time? To be frank, she hardly knew him. All she knew about him was his murder history and the clues she found in his childhood home.

 _The drawings!_ She wondered briefly if he had taken note of the items she had stolen. If he knew which specific diary entries had caught her eye. She was eye level with his back at about fifteen feet away. Her eyes rested on his swaying shoulders as he continued to walk in silence. She speculated about what was on his mind. She could simply ask, if she wanted a straightforward answer. Even though the curiosity was gnawing away at her, she wasn't entirely sure if she was prepared for what he might say.

A thought came to her, even if it only crossed her mind for a moment, about the possibility of having hurt his feelings. What if the assault had elicited some deep-rooted, childhood memory from him? What if she had caused the timid, abused little boy from the diary entries to re-emerge? What if -

She scoffed at herself. Kai was a sociopath. He couldn't feel emotion, even if he tried. The only emotion she had seen him display thus far had been rage. That and lust, if she counted all of his advances.

She came down from her mind to realize that Kai had stopped walking. He came to a stop in front of the car and opened the back door on the left with one hand, with one bag slung over his shoulder. He pulled out a second bag and strapped it around his other shoulder. He reached inside for the third time and emerged with the a bag in hand, extended towards Bonnie.

"A little help would be nice."

She jogged forward to fill the space between them and grabbed the bag. She took it without a word. Heat in her face began to rise as he stood there looking down at her in silence. She broke away from his intense gaze by darting her eyes to the left, towards the forest.

Kai slammed the door shut, causing shards of residual glass to trickle down onto the ground and followed alongside the road once more.

"Looks like we'll be traveling on foot, since _someone_ totaled my car. At least until we find another car or a house. Whichever comes first." His voice carried some of its usual jovial undertones.

 _Well,_ _that was a good sign._ "You're speaking again?"

"I finally have reason to."

"That's never stopped you before."

"You sound pretty upset, Bonster. Aww, did you miss the sound of my voice?"

Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "Don't try to spin this around on me. I had no idea you could be so...moody."

"Who says I'm moody?"

"That's my observation."

"Well you observed wrong, didn't you?" She could see that cheeky grin had returned as he looked down and smiled at her. She had fallen in step next to him.

Bonnie nodded. "Okay. That's fine. Just deflect."

"Oh God," He rolled his eyes. "Dr. Bennett has made a return. Let me guess, you majored in Psychology?"

"No! But if you must know, I'm currently majoring in Folklore and Mythology, while minoring in Criminal Justice."

"Yeah because it'll be super easy to find a career in Folklore and Mythology!"

"I know it's not the most practical major but it's what interests me. Why do you think I also chose Criminal Justice as a minor? I figured that it would be a good opportunity to learn more about my heritage _and_ I could practice a subject that was more feasible."

"Why Criminal Justice? Sounds tedious."

"Not surprised that someone like you would think so. But I chose it because I like to help people. I like to see others be given a fair chance. I believe in morality and I want to make a positive difference in the world."

"Aww, how sweet." His condescending tone irked her.

"Well what would you have majored in, huh? Did you even go to college?"

"As a matter of fact I did."

"Really? Where?"

"Portland State."

"And you majored in...?"

"This might come as a surprise to you, but I was pretty scholarly in college, with a major in Physics."

"Pft! And you call Criminal Justice boring? Why Physics?"

"I like to know how things work."

"That doesn't surprise me. Contrary to what you might think, you never struck me as unintelligent. However, you do seem like the type that would prefer a Frat party as opposed to a study group."

"Yeah, their parties were great." He said with a reminiscent smile. "But even I had to admit that those guys were extra dickish, even for me."

Bonnie couldn't help but grin at that.

"Other than the parties, the Frat life wasn't for me. Too micromanaged. Plus, the image they had to maintain didn't suit me. Although the hazing was pretty fun."

"Wait, I thought you just said you weren't in a fraternity?"

"I wasn't but I had my connections. I knew a few idiots who were naive enough to buy into the hype. They were members and any hazing done off campus to newbies, I was more than happy to take part in."

"So my deduction was right!"

"I guess you could say that. So what about you Ms. Pristine? What did you and your friends do for fun?" He continued in a high pitched, mock girly voice: "Have sleep overs and prank call boys?"

Bonnie narrowed her eyes at him. "You are so stuck in the nineties. No one prank calls anymore. And for your information, my two best friends and I are roommates so yes, technically, we always have sleep overs. Other than that, we party just like any other college student."

"That's a shocker." he said dryly.

"You know what else is shocking? The fact that someone like you even had any friends. I thought sociopaths couldn't maintain normal relationships?"

"Ouch. That's rather ignorant of you Bonnie. We're not all like the creepy, recluses they portray in the media. That was very hurtful."

"How would you know? You can't feel."

"No, but you can." He gave her a smirk that left a residual insidious feeling within her.

The sky had begun its transition from black to light blue, with hues of red, yellow and orange.

"Ah, just in time. I'll do the honors of choosing the dwelling quarters this time."

"Have at it." She said dismissively.

At long last, they had come to another neighborhood, similar to the one they had previously resided in. However, this neighborhood visibly contained much larger houses.

"Where are we?" Bonnie asked.

"Boulder, most likely."

"I don't recall seeing a sign."

"Don't need to. I know this Prison World like the back of my hand."

Once they were a few roads inside the district, Kai walked up to a cottage style house, with a beige and dark brown wood exterior.

Kai walked up to the door and pulled out a switchblade from his pocket. After a few clicks, the door was open.

"Smooth." Bonnie commented.

"I know." Accompanied by a cocky grin.

Bonnie knew for certain now that this house was without a doubt bigger than the last one. There was a wide staircase to the left of them, with white steps and wooden railings. Spaced diagonally above the stairs were a collection of lavish paintings, accompanied by fancy lighting fixtures, which were sprinkled on the walls all throughout the house. At the base of the stairs was a wooden coat and shoe rack. To the right of them was a white closet with a sliding door.

Directly in front of them was yet another expensive looking painting, hovering above a mahogany dresser and with a green lamp. Further down was a spacious hallway, which, judging from the white refrigerator, Bonnie could see that it lead to the kitchen and more than likely, the living room as well.

Kai dropped the two bags to the ground. Bonnie grabbed the one with her contents and made her way to the staircase.

"Just so you know, the same rules apply: you remain downstairs at all times."

"Those were the rules at the old house. And if I recall, _I_ picked this one, so I make the rules." He said gesturing to himself with his thumbs.

"Not while you're staying with me." She said with a fake smile. "Goodnight." She ascended the stairs without another word. Once at the top, she stood in the middle of the hall and to her left was a washer and dryer, with a study behind her. She felt justified in maintaining her house rules because there was only one master bedroom in front of her.

She entered to find a king size bed with disheveled sheets, between two dressers with a lamp on each to the left of the room. Straight across from the bed was a larger dresser with a TV centered on top. To the left of the TV was a closet, to the right was a master bathroom with two sinks. Facing her, and to the left side of the bed was a window. Underneath it was another dresser, overflowing with clothes.

"No kids this time, huh?" She asked herself, shutting and locking the door.

She threw her bag on the bed and examined her clothes. She reeked of the outdoors. Not to mention, the cuts and scratches from the accident could use some attending to. She pinpointed a tank top and a pair of shorts from her bag and hopped in the shower. The warm water truly did wonders for her tense muscles.

She came back into the bedroom, and plopped down onto the bed. She figured she would have time to explore the rest of the house tomorrow. She was far too spent to do much else at the moment.

Then it was settled: If she couldn't change her circumstances, then she would change her perspective. If Kai wanted to search for another source of magic so ardently, she would go along with his plan. She, however, had an entirely different plan of her own. She curled up under the covers and let sleep come and whisk her away.

* * *

She slept through the morning. Bonnie sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, yawning in the process.

The sky darkened momentarily outside of the window, letting her know that it was exactly 12:28pm. She used the restroom and headed downstairs, mentally preparing herself for yet another day in Hell with the Devil himself.

Her feet grew cold making contact with the hard wood floors and even icier steps. She rounded the corner of the stairway and headed down the spacious hallway. Next to her right was a white bookshelf that was built into the wall. Across from it on her left was a small public bathroom. She came to a stop in the living room. Adjacent to her was a massive flat screen, on the far wall to the left of it was another built in bookshelf. A coffee table and a white sofa sat in front of the TV. Behind the sofa was a wooden table for two and further back was a sliding, glass door.

Kai was cooking with his back facing her. He was wearing a worn blue T-shirt with black sweatpants. They were separated by a timber island with a granite lid. The oven was embedded into the wrap around counter-top that lead to the fridge.

Bonnie opened it and searched for something to eat.

"Good morning." He called without turning around.

"If you can call it that." She leaned onto the island and bit into an apple she found.

"Oh, don't be so grouchy. I made breakfast." He turned around to divide the scrambled eggs into the two plates on the counter.

"I'm not eating that." Kai paused to look up and raise his eyebrows at her. "I'm not eating anything you cook, ever again."

He shook his head. "You poison a girl once, and she never lets you live it down." He dumped the contents of one plate onto the other. "But if you insist, more for me."

He threw the other plate in the sink, grabbed his own and a cup of juice, and took a seat on the sofa. Bonnie reluctantly joined him.

"Whatcha in the mood for?" He asked between bites and flipping through channels.

Bonnie shrugged her shoulders. "Doesn't matter."

"Just remember, you said it." He stopped flipping through the channels and focused on his plate. "You know one of the perks about traveling to different states is the different time zones. You don't have to sit through repeats of -"

"What time did you want to start looking for another source?"

Kai kept eating. "Since when were you interested in helping me locate another source of magic?"

"Since all of my escape attempts have failed." Which was partially true.

He took a nonchalant bite. "Now why would I be so quick to accept this proposal after you've resisted this notion for so long?" He was still eyeing the television, not taking her seriously.

Bonnie grabbed the remote from his side and turned down the volume on the TV. She fixed her body to face him directly. "Look, the truth is, I'm tired. Tired of running, tired of fighting, tired of living on edge. I've come to the conclusion that I can't stop you from searching for another source so, why not assist you?" Kai had put his plate in his lap and turned to face her, giving her his undivided attention. His expression was hard to read.

"What brought on the change of heart?"

"Being trapped here all this time has only made me realize how much I miss my loved ones. I'd give anything to have them back. I wanna go home as much as you do."

His face remained blank.

"I also took what you said into consideration: You have no reason to hurt me if we're on the same side."

Bonnie fiddled with the apple in her hands to avoid his cold gaze. What if he didn't buy it? Even though this change in mindset was abrupt, her reasons for doing so seemed logical enough. His silence only made her more anxious. She put on her most innocent expression. "I'm also hoping that this declaration will be enough to spare me from more contaminated food." She chuckled in an attempt to display lightheartedness.

He looked off to the side, considering her words. "Hmm, all of what you said is true. And let's be honest, I wouldn't want myself as an enemy either." Bonnie rolled her eyes at his arrogant comment. As he mulled it over, she swore she could see the gears turning in his head. He was dragging it out to prolong her nervousness. He had to be. How long was he going to consider it? He eyed her up and down once more, just for good measure.

"We'll see how this works out." He turned back to face the TV.

 _Whew!_ "Well, if you can't beat 'em join 'em."

"We'll leave after I eat."

"Great! I'll go get dressed now."

"You do that."

Bonnie got up to leave the room.

"Cute PJs, by the way." He called from the couch.

She wrapped her arms around her torso in an attempt to cover herself and glowered back at him as she scurried out of the room. She heard him chuckle as she got further down the hallway.

* * *

"Found anything? Over." Kai's voice came through the small intercom.

"No, nothing yet."

"I'm sorry, didn't read that. Over."

"I said I didn't find anything."

"Still didn't read that. Over."

"Ugh! I. Said. I. Did. Not. Find. Any. Thing. Yet. Over!"

"Copy that. Over."

Bonnie could tell that he smiled as he said the last sentence. It was his bright idea to use walkie talkies to keep track of one another while they were on magic source duty. She wholeheartedly began to miss the electronic advancements that the 2000s had developed.

The search was taking forever. A source could be literally anywhere. Jo's knife had been hidden in a discreet place, so she thought it best to make the most secluded places a priority. She didn't know how Kai managed to explore an entire state in just three days.

Unless, there was something he wasn't telling her. Which, at this point, wouldn't come as a surprise. She couldn't forget the fact that she herself, was keeping something from him.

The air was bitter and her jean jacket and hoodie weren't cutting it. She was in desperate need of some new attire for the amount of traveling they were anticipating. She could feel her nose turning red and her fingers getting frost bite.

They had been searching for the past five hours, three of which, they had spent split up. They only scoured the neighborhood in order to find a mode of transportation. And low and behold, they come across and hotwired a red pickup truck. In a State made up of mountains, forests and rocky terrain, there were too many secluded places to count. Bonnie was currently headed upwards towards a mountain, while the last she heard, Kai was near a body of water.

She delved through rock and stone, growing more impatient as time dragged on. She was at a loss for what they were actually supposed be looking for. Magic could be stored in any object.

She kept walking until she reached the top of a small slope that lead straight to a tear-drop shaped, archway. It was outlined by grey and white stone. She pulled out a small flashlight from her pocket, flicked it on and stepped closer to the cave. She could tell from this angle that it ran deep. She prepared to step down and go inside.

The sound of a loud horn caused her to stumble and nearly sent her into cardiac arrest.

She heard Kai laughing before she turned around to face him, perched high in the wide truck. He rolled the window down. "Feel like a food break? I'm starving!"

Bonnie caught her footing and removed her clutched hand from her chest. "What?!" She said breathlessly.

"We've been working for hours, it's play time now!" He said with a big grin. "C'mon, hop in." He waved his hand outside of the window.

She shined her light back at the cave, and reckoned that she would have time to return later. Huffing and puffing, she stomped over to the passenger's side and leaped inside. Thankfully the heat was on full blast. Kai turned them around, the gravel under the tires shuffled them from side to side until they found the main road.

"Was that really necessary?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"No, but it was fun."

"Why did you pick this big truck anyway?"

"Because I knew that we would need to stock up on groceries and some new apparel at some point, so, better to be prepared."

"Oh." She said genuinely surprised. "That was smart."

"Always the tone of surprise, Bon."

Bonnie fastened herself in with her seat-belt.

"I was thinking we could hit up the grocery store first, then we can go to, presumably, a girl's favorite place: the mall, tomorrow. That sound like a plan to you?"

"That's incredibly sexist of you to assume that I like the mall just because I'm a girl."

"Am I wrong?"

Bonnie paused. "I mean...the malls okay." Knowing, truthfully, that the mall was indeed one of her, Elena's and Caroline's favorite hangout spots.

Kai snickered. "Okay."

He turned the radio up and and the song caught Bonnie's attention. She pointed to it. "Is this Aerosmith?"

He grinned. "Well look at you. Glad to know you've got _some_ taste. Know what song it is?"

"Not a clue. I just recognized Steven Tyler's voice."

"Damn, you almost impressed me."

Bonnie bobbed her foot to the beat, then a thought hit her. If she was going to keep up this ruse, she'd better act concerned.

"So what's your big plan to get us home? You can't possibly expect to travel to all fifty states to find a source of magic, let alone the world. It could be anywhere."

"True. Which is why I've been conducting research." He reached into his pocket and pulled out small piece of folded up paper and handed it to her. It was a list of cities.

"Didn't you ever wonder why my bag was so heavy? I packed some books from Portland and other places along the way while I was tracking you; Some of them about occult history, folklore, and journals of other known supernatural beings who commonly associated with Witches. I pinpointed different cities where mass Witch gatherings were likely to occur, because as you know, or as I'm assuming you know, whenever a group of Witches die, they leave behind their essence, in other words-"

"Their magic in that specified area, yeah, I know."

"Very good. So you know where I'm going with this?"

"And are you sure these are all of the potential cities?"

"I can never be too sure. Which is why you're going to help me with the research process. You'll make sure I haven't missed any cities and help me designate new ones."

"Can do." She said as she examined the list. Bonnie hated to admit it, but she had to give credit where it was due. His plan honestly was well-thought-out. Among the cities were: New Orleans, Nova Scotia, Salem, Baltimore and finally, Mystic Falls. She also took note of Kai's penmanship, which was neater than she expected. Most guys that she knew had handwriting similar to that of five year olds.

"What magical event took place in these cities?"

"You'll find that out when you start helping me with the research." He reached over and snatched the paper from her hands, putting it back in his pocket.

They had finally come to a stop in the middle of a supermarket parking lot. It was virtually empty, with the exception of a few cars. Once inside, the sound of generic shopping music hit their ears. The registers were aligned horizontally to the entrance of the store. Further back were the assorted aisles, with a frozen section to the back and left of the aisles, and the produce portion to the right of the entrance. Bonnie grabbed a cart while Kai strolled off to grab and rip open a bag of pork rinds. He crunched loudly as he walked alongside her.

"You're always eating." She commented.

"Yeah, well, I love to eat." His suggestive smile made her stomach churn.

"You and those pork rinds, are disgusting."

"Hey, the pork rinds take offense. And how do you know you don't like them? Have you ever tried them?"

She thought for a moment. Truthfully, he had a point. They just didn't appear to be appetizing. "Fine." She extended her hand towards him and he tipped the bag over and one spilled out onto her hand. She popped it into her mouth. To her surprised, it wasn't that bad. "Well, they're not terrible." She said as she finished chewing.

"See."

She rolled her eyes and walked towards the back of the store towards the frozen section. "Dammit, I should have made a list."

"Nah, we don't need one. We'll just get all the essentials." He opened the freezer door and grabbed some milk. A little further down he picked up some eggs. "Ooo, we need this too." He pulled out a tub of chocolate ice cream. He turned down the aisle and Bonnie followed him with the cart.

"Can't have ice cream without cookies." He said placing yet another package in the cart.

"Actually, you can. And keep in mind that everything you pick up, we're going to have to lug around with us, so, slow down on the shopping."

"Relax, mom. It's not like we actually have to pay for anything." He continued to throw random items in the cart while Bonnie continued to search for more practical produce.

"Uh, is that wheat bread?"

"Yeah, so?" She placed it in the cart.

"So, wheat bread is gross." He snatched a loaf of white bread off the shelf and tossed it into the cart.

"When you eat white bread, it dissolves into sugar, unlike whole wheat."

Kai made a mock yawning face. In turn, Bonnie threw a small loaf of white bread at him. Unfortunately, he caught it with his free hand.

"Ya know, it's not good to waste food, Bon." He put the loaf back on the mantle. She jerked the cart in his direction, prompting him to move forward. Kai laughed and she shook her head, beaming.

They approached the next aisle, which happened to be the cereal aisle. Kai went straight for the ones containing the most saccharine: Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Despite her reservations, she couldn't help but become a tad bit excited at the sight of some of the cereal that she hadn't seen since she was a kid. Kai came over to where she was standing and examined the boxes she had picked out.

"Oreo O's, Cinnamon Marshmallow Scooby-Doo _and_ Count Chocula? Now look who's being unhealthy."

"Hey, I haven't been able to get ahold of those since I was eight. You, on the other hand, have had them at your disposal for the past eighteen years. What's your excuse?"

"Me? I just like sweets."

"I'm gonna go find more wholesome options." Bonnie went to the far left of the store and made sure to carefully inspect the fruits and vegetables before selecting them. Kai returned with a basket full of junk food; Everything from pizza to candy.

"You know all that junk food is gonna catch up to you, one day."

"Not as long as we're stuck here." He said emptying his basket.

"It will when we get out." Bonnie paused. That was the first time she had referenced letting him out. She was becoming a bit too comfortable with this scheme of hers. She continued to shop for produce, hoping Kai hadn't noticed her sudden anxiety.

"Thanks for the concern, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."

Bonnie wrapped up a stock of celery and added it to the cart. "Okay, I think we've got everything we need."

They returned to the front of the store and Bonnie began bagging their groceries. Meanwhile, Kai went out to the truck and drove up closer to store entrance. As they filled the trunk, Bonnie was wracking her brain about the copious amounts of questions she had for him once they got back home.


End file.
